r/electricians

I have just started in the field and am trying to collect more tools that will make my job easier. What are some of your most useful tools that you use that aren’t the obvious ones I most likely already have i.e. pliers, strippers, level, impact

I am an Industrial Electrician who’s been in the field for about 6 years.

I am a 4th year apprentice aswell. (I passed my block 4 I just need to rewrite my journeyman exam.)

I’ve always been more inclined to planning, scheduling, estimating more so than hands on.

Currently I work in a mine and make a great wage, but the work life balance is brutal for our young family.
I am in Canada.

Curious to hear what some of you have done if anyone has transitioned. I love electrical, just want to experience the office side of it !

Hello, I just finished the second year of my apprenticeship and am torn on what to do long term. For context, I worked at a nuke plant prior to the IBEW, tried getting into their apprenticeship but did not qualify as I have no college credits. I then applied to the ibew, worked as a shop guy for a local contractor until I got and and have been in since June of 2024. At the moment I have an offer to go back to the nuke plant to be an equipment operator, eventually leading to reactor operator and possibly higher depending on what I’d like to do.
For my IBEW experience, my first year comprised of a solar field/ teledata. My second year has been mainly teledata with recent switch to construction for college dorms. In between data, i asked for more experience in construction and I was bounced around to a few wwtp and some commercial work. I have not enjoyed most of the projects I’ve been on and am starting to think I don’t enjoy this field as much as I thought I would. I enjoyed the service aspect of data since we bounced around and were working at a new place every day for the most part which was nice. Now I will be on these dorms for at least a year and it’s the same thing every single dorm. Several buildings, 5 stories, all pre fab boxes with MC whips. I’ve been there for about a month now and have asked if I could try service work as I’d be learning and experiencing more. I was essentially told to deal with it because I have not been in the trade for that long. I understand I’m a second year, but I want to learn and I got into this to learn and be on different jobs. The pay is decent, everyone says “total package is crazy”. The way I see it, I make my wage, annuity and “pension”. My health savings is essentially void as I’m on my wife’s insurance so that sits in an inaccessible account besides for the few and far in between co pay/deductible. 0 PTO besides state mandated sick time which is frowned upon to use. Unpaid holidays which should be optional but unfortunately most contractors don’t work them. Pension is fairly low as if a journeyman were to retire right now with 30 years and 60 credits he would get roughly 50-60k locked in for life, so when inflation hits in 10 years he will have to come back as a retiree.

I want to have time with my family, have good benefits that I can see and manage, feel valuable and not another warm body to make someone else money while being dogged on by older journeymen for the experience I’ve had so far that is mostly out of my control. Being on these monotonous jobs has made me lose hope for the most part and I’m not sure what to do.

At the nuke plant I would be starting out a little bit lower than JW rate until I’m qualified in about a year. There is nearly unlimited amounts of OT, yearly bonus, there is OT built into the schedule, I would be making more than a lead gen foreman within 2 years and not killing my body in the process. Lots of paid time off that stacks, valued and cared for and potential to grow is unlimited.

I worked hard to get into the IBEW, I was ranked 39 right after I applied (after they pulled for that year). I left my job to work as shop help to increase my knowledge of electrical parts/tools and whatever else I could see. I went to 2 boces classes so I could re interview. I took my second interview at the IBEW and went from 80 to 10 the next day, then I was pulled for the next class.

If you were in my shoes, what would you do? Do you have any advice, motivation or anything you’re willing to share? Feel free to roast me if you feel the need, I would appreciate any advice, thank you

Where is the best place to install the DB switch box in the new house? Let me know what you recommend before we start the wiring.

I know companies will operate under a single master Electrician license.

My question is if you operate under that single license - do your employees need to have any other licensing? Like a restricted license?

Is there any other schooling or exams you need to qualify for or show in order to work for them?

I am in NY, so the regulations may be different somewhere else.

Thanks in advance.

Well, I’m an apprentice. Last week I was hit by 277v. I feel mostly fine although my chest, right around my heart has ached since. I’ve been scared to get checked because I don’t want to have it be workers comp and lose my job opportunity over this.

Is a 277v shock a fireable offense?

Is a mini-split air conditioning unit considered a continuous duty motor or intermittent duty?

Final round of schooling is in august, ive historically after each round of schooling gotten myself a lil something .

Was thinking of a fluke 378 and saying we ball, vut its a hefty tag.

Mainly do industrial/commercial work.

Thanks

If you had your journeyman’s or master electrical license what do you have to do to transfer it over to a Canadian license. How hard is the process?

Hi y'all, I just started as a naval electrician in a destroyer yard, and I have a few things that I like but was wondering: what job or task or odd ritual with your buddies is your favorite? I'll go first

The whole stud shooting process is great; the old guy I work with will go mark where I need to shoot everything, size, orientation, etc then I go put my music on and just tune out the world for a few hours because it's hot work, so people leave me alone, then twords the end of the day I can "inspect the weld" if its hot and theirs five minuets left in my shift, the days go by REAL quick if managment is not a pain.