ECN Electrical Forum - Discussion Forums for Electricians, Inspectors and Related Professionals
ECN Shout Chat
ShoutChat
Recent Posts
Increasing demand factors in residential
by gfretwell - 03/28/24 12:43 AM
Portable generator question
by Steve Miller - 03/19/24 08:50 PM
Do we need grounding?
by NORCAL - 03/19/24 05:11 PM
240V only in a home and NEC?
by dsk - 03/19/24 06:33 AM
Cordless Tools: The Obvious Question
by renosteinke - 03/14/24 08:05 PM
New in the Gallery:
This is a new one
This is a new one
by timmp, September 24
Few pics I found
Few pics I found
by timmp, August 15
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 255 guests, and 16 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rate Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 214
E
Member
I'm only 16, but I've been around the electical trade for almost all my life, that and this forum have given me a decent basic understanding of how electricity works

however my friend, who is also 16 has just begun working in the trade, working for a fairly large contractor, and like usual he is told "run this wire here, hook these wires to these wires" etc. and he wants to know how it works in a very basic sense, could anyone here give him a basic description? Maybe some tips for begginers? I'll direct him to this thread, Thanks in advance

-Will

Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 827
Likes: 1
J
Member
Hi Will,
This is somewhat like you asking us to explain the meaning of life. My answer was to work for Steve. Steve would show me what needed to be done, how to do it and why. He would show me, supervise me on 1 or 2, and get to a point where he felt that I had it down. Steve has gone to be with the Lord but I'm sure that there are many out there like him.

The main concept that I want you and your friend to grasp Will, is your mortality. We tend to do things when we are young that could easily end or severely alter our lives. If you do your work safely, and work for a craftsman, you'll learn like a sponge.
But if you want the first official tip... Measure twice, cut once.

Good luck to you and your friend.
Joe

[This message has been edited by JoeTestingEngr (edited 12-26-2005).]

Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 141
L
Member
I can't believe a large EC would hire a minor, any EC for that matter.

Edited: Nothing against the minor, I meant for liability reasons.

[This message has been edited by LoneGunman (edited 12-26-2005).]

Joined: May 2001
Posts: 378
F
Member
We start them that young in the trades here in Canada but then you can marry at 14 and you serve booze at 16 if your parents agree so...
To start an apprenticeship you used to have be 16 with a grade 10 edumication.I don't know about now though
yes i know how to spell education.lol
Get some good books with laymen drawings if you want to learn the basics quickly.And make yourself indispensable as a helper.

[This message has been edited by frank (edited 12-26-2005).]

Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 444
S
Member
Hehehe, "hiring minors", my dad used to bring me on the job from the age of 5. Yeah, now at the age of 34, you can say I got brainwashed into the trade.

Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 106
J
Member
My two oldest children are girls and both have married with children of their own. When the oldest was 15 and the second was 13 I had them pulling wire in an apartment complex. These two girls roughed in an 8800 square foot building except for the drilling by their selves. It passed inspection and I did nothing to help them. Come trim out and every circuit worked. I can’t say this much for the other electricians that were on the job site.

All this to say that a minor can work on an electrical job as long as certain criteria is met.


Mike
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 9,923
Likes: 32
G
Member
I was over at my daughter's house working on something and I hollered "can someone bring me the 8" red handled screwdriver from my bucket"
A minute later my 2 year old grandaughter showed up with it.
She wanted to know how it worked and actually figured out how to run in a screw.
I figure she will be doing my trims in a year. [Linked Image]

BTW I beat the adults up for sending her along with a screwdriver, they all said "huh?"

She just heard "red" and brought me the only red thing in the bucket. Nobody else was around.


Greg Fretwell
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,876
E
e57 Offline
Member
California would limit you to 18 for the handling of power tools...
Anyway, back to original post, I would say for you, and your friend, some books are in order... (Basic therory, and fundementals) There is much too much to cover in one post. After that, you could hit us, and the people you work for with all the questions you are going to have after some light reading... [Linked Image] Been at this 15+ years and learn more all the time.

Some places to start... http://www.elec-toolbox.com/theory.htm http://ceenews.com/mag/electric_electrical_theory_part/index.html http://ceenews.com/mag/electric_electrical_theory_part_2/index.html

And a whole section on this forum for questions like this....
Electrical Theory and Applications


Mark Heller
"Well - I oughta....." -Jackie Gleason
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 214
E
Member
Thank you all, in Washington State you can work at 16, as long as you don't use power tools and there are severe limitations on amount of hours legally worked, I got eased into the trade by my father, he'd take me on small jobs from age ten or so and show me how to do things, like install recepticles, make splices, put on cover plates, pull wire, of course he'd always double and triple check all my work, now that I'm 16 he trusts me to do most work on my own, and just recently I've begun working in panels. The reason my friend got hired is that the contractor is his girlfriends father

-Will

Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,876
E
e57 Offline
Member
"contractor is his girlfriends father"

Phew... Thats another learning experiance all together....

Bet he's exhuasted everyday after work! [Linked Image]

[This message has been edited by e57 (edited 12-27-2005).]


Mark Heller
"Well - I oughta....." -Jackie Gleason
Page 1 of 2 1 2

Link Copied to Clipboard
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5