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

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).]

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).]

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).]

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.

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.

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.

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.

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... 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

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

"contractor is his girlfriends father"

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

Bet he's exhuasted everyday after work!

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

This book is a great place to start. Obviously, there's alot in it that'll baffle anyone who is just getting into the trade, but it'll definitely answer questions that arise on the job.


http://www.delmarlearning.com/browse_catalog.aspx?cat1ID=ET&cat2ID=WR

Oh, and none of it will be helpful if you do not apply yourself.

Elviscat. You are just a 16 year old child. You are very lucky that your father allows you to work with him. You must obey every command he gives you and never question his wisdom. When your father speaks to you, listen to him as if it were God speaking.
Next time your father takes you to Mexico spend more time checking out the surf and the chicatas and less time looking at the abhorant wiring methods.
(signed)
Elecbob
your father

Elviscat,
Like you, my father used to take me on the job with him.
When I was 13, all my friends were out playing football after school and I was in some building pulling wire and fishing walls.
You father knows you better than any of us and will most likely show you new things when he deems you ready to learn them.
The biggest thing I can tell you is that this is a huge trade that encompasses a lot of theory and material. The fact that you are getting off to an early start is fantastic but, never let your ego get away from you on the job.
I've been licensed for 15 years in two seperate states and I run into new things on the job everyday.
Listen to what your dad and other electricians on the job tell you. Their experience is invaluable and most of all, ASK QUESTIONS. If you don't know how to do something, it's always better to ask than to make a mistake just because you were afraid of looking bad on the job.
The best advice I can give you at your age is to pay attention in algebra class.
You will use it alot in this trade.
Once you have a good algebra base, study ohms law and electrical theory.
These are things you won't learn on the job site.