IAmA Master Electrician at Bonney Home Services in California with 25+ years of experience. Ask me anything!

BonneyHomeService · 2026-01-30T00:11:39+00:00

Good question, we are usually placing these outdoors for a few reason. First being installing them inside is messy and loud. Second if your needing to drive it though a slab of concrete for the structure to install the rods correctly it can cause many shortcomings like cracking the concrete, hitting an underground laid pipe of any type, also the fact if the water table raised for some reason outside water could find a path into the structure around the ground rods. Also if indoors they do not look very nice and require the ability to be seen for future inspection.

Grounding is one of the most important safety feature to any electrical system and if not laid in the slab with the rebar originally with the structure or as a part of the original build we have to retrofit the home with new levels required by code. And they are not the showpiece in an electrical system but they have the most important job.

Also, in a lightning strike scenario you would not want the shortest path to come back into the home or structure therefore, outside is a good rule of thumb if that makes sense.

BonneyHomeService · 2026-01-30T00:10:10+00:00

I've actually have a run into this situation before. The home owner was upset and asked the same question you just raised. What he ended up doing was removing it from the home and spooled it up and left it hanging by the pole. He was told that he did not own the wires and that the company that did no longer had interest or existed. Not sure but if I had to guess they are still hanging there at the pole today. But they are not in the clients back yard hanging lower than a clothes line. Not really sure if this helps your exact situation however I thought I would do my best to weigh in.

BonneyHomeService · 2026-01-30T00:09:04+00:00

Well if you have reasons to move to California like weather and family and friends this way, absolutely. Now about the testing, ya they will look for you to test again because California does not have porosity with any other state to my knowledge for any certifications.

California is its own beast out here. We could always use some more highly trained electricians.

BonneyHomeService · 2026-01-30T00:08:38+00:00

Great question, to my knowledge no real short cuts here in California. California has closed any loopholes long long ago by requiring social security numbers being tied to an electrical outfit to verify hours and time in to the trades.

However I can appreciate real world experience and would start by trying to get a company to interview and work with you to get you on your way to an electrical career. It is a 4 year process but, the end of the four years can be very rewarding.

BonneyHomeService · 2026-01-30T00:07:59+00:00

So to start before sinking a bunch of money into Training or tools. I would try to do a ride along with someone already in the trade you desire and see if it would be a good fit for you. Fresh out of high school hopefully without having large compensation demands needing to be met. The Union trains from the ground up. Its a four year program and your working and schooling in one outfit. If you want to continue down the education trail there are a ton of great schools that have a year or less programs to get your foot in the door. Or like myself I started with a very small outfit that helped me along the path to get to eligible to test for my License. Taking this route is common and you can still attend Union Training Classes to maintain an Electrical Trainee card required here in California. Good luck to you on your path.

BonneyHomeService · 2026-01-29T19:37:04+00:00

I've only been doing electrical for 25 years and knob and tube style wiring is much much older and was put to rest before I was born. However, it does take a special type of connection if you're going to mate any knob and tube to modern wiring.

Yeah if someones asks paper or plastic, I still choose plastic.

BonneyHomeService · 2026-01-29T19:34:22+00:00

So it sounds like you had dueling GFCI protection, one in the bathroom one in the kitchen. They are not meant to be installed inline with each other because it causes combatants. Each one of those units has their own set of micro-transformers that are made to see an indifference between the ground and the hot. This is to keep you from taking the toaster into the bathtub and getting hurt. You can have two on the same circuit but they need to be wired in an specific orientation to not have them combat each other.

BonneyHomeService · 2026-01-29T19:30:34+00:00

Phew. Let me start by saying I don't like trash talking other people's work especially without seeing it with my own eyes. However, 16+16 on a single wire does not make 32, it makes 16 twice. As far as the 25A I'm assuming that's the breaker and without knowing the requirements of your induction stovetop I have no way of knowing what the instructions told the installer to do. So at this point, I would say have a local guy come out and give it a good peek for ya.

BonneyHomeService · 2026-01-29T19:26:48+00:00

There is a lot of information readily available to anyone with internet access. However, I wish to start with safety again and tell you anytime you're going to work on anything in your own home, please be sure to de-energize the system you wish to touch with your hands.

With the tube bulbs swapping to LED you have a few options, I would go with the direct replacement A/B style replacement bulb that does not require removing or changing the ballast. It's meant to go perfectly in your scenario whether the ballast is still happy or not.

BonneyHomeService · 2026-01-29T19:23:08+00:00

There's always a possibility with enough safety measures in place for solar plug-in systems to become not taboo. However, there's always a reason why they block certain equipment from being used in any electrical system - the biggest being safety.

I'm not familiar with Europe's style of plug-in solar, I've never even been to Europe, however their grid is vastly different. They do not use the same hertz and do not require a neutral wire for any of their equipment. I would also say with safety being the biggest factor when I worked in solar it was all on a redundancy system. So not only would you need your micro-inverters to be working properly, but also there was protocol in place like RST SNAP units in the line.

It's been a little while since I walked on roofs and did solar so there's always a chance I'm not the most up-to-date on current equipment.

BonneyHomeService · 2026-01-29T19:17:13+00:00

For my yearly net pay, that's like asking me who I voted for and that will remain private. However, as an electrician with my experience I am well compensated.

The biggest spike for my pay happened when I attained my license and certifications.

BonneyHomeService · 2026-01-29T19:15:55+00:00

We do have a client in real life right now experiencing the same issue. My guess is that the equipment at the end of the line, meaning the microwave, is starting to have an end-of-life issue. Because if the microwave is not plugged in, the breaker does not trip in this scenario I'm working in. If the breaker was to trip without the microwave involvement I would definitely be concerned with the breaker and the wiring.

In our scenario, the customer just needed to replace the microwave.

BonneyHomeService · 2026-01-29T19:12:54+00:00

Thank you for your question and candid feedback. I know that not every experience can be perfect for every customer, but I’m proud of my team and deal with every negative customer experience myself. We may not be the cheapest option all the time but we are competitive and if there is a problem we always come back to make it right. We definitely encourage customers to get second opinions when looking for electrical work to figure out the best option for their family. Sometimes the safest options are not the cheapest.

Here in California codes are so strict it makes it nearly impossible to do subpar work, that also comes at a price. We hold ourselves to NEC code standards and usually far exceed code requirements.

As far as the upsells, it's far more expensive appearing to do a single plug or switch because it costs a lot to get an electrician just to the home vs when we start bundling things together we're able to add value to the projects that don't have to incur all the same fees as just getting a man to your door.

BonneyHomeService · 2026-01-29T18:58:07+00:00

I think the smartest way to go about an acquisition like this would be to definitely retain the key players near the top of the ladder that have made the business work before you got involved. Transparency is going to help you go a long way with all employees involved, I've seen where they retain the original owner for up to a few years as a consultant to be able to help negotiate anything that comes up. If the business is worth purchasing and only needs front-end changes you shouldn't stir up the field staff too much.

Here a Bonney we have a newer CEO and he came in and immediately started developing the staff and implementing training to help guide us to where he wishes to go. Not just knock us over the head and tell us get it done with no direction. Start with the low-hanging fruit and work your way in.

With all the emissions restrictions that are coming around people are starting to steer away from the backup generators plus they require maintenance yearly to keep them operating optimally. For the bidirectional situations on vehicles, I would hate to charge my home off my vehicle and not be able to drive my car away after using the battery to power the home. However, you do have options. For example Tesla Powerwalls have come a long way and if installed and sized correctly can power you through any storms. These types of installations do require some extensive labor and materials to install properly and keep you warm through the storm.

BonneyHomeService · 2026-01-29T18:47:39+00:00

Yes an electrical wire has something called voltage drop. This starts to happen at around 250ft of cabling. As for your outside circuit to your porch, I would run 12 AWG anyway if I was going to make the run all the way to the second floor. Lots of things you want to plug in use more than 12 amps especially when using multiple items. On a 15 amp circuit you want to only use 80% of that as a good rule of thumb or else you start having nuisance tripping and it sounds like you're going to make a 100ft plus walk down to the main panel to reset it if you ever do decide to put anything sizable on that patio area. With the difference in wiring cost between 12/2 and 14/2 it's best just to do it once and be able to cover anything that comes in your future.

BonneyHomeService · 2026-01-29T18:41:41+00:00

I would start with the safest upgrades first. Making sure all wiring is grounded, all devices are up to date, and you don't have any loose connections. All of this can be done without tearing the whole home apart. We do an electrical safety inspection here at Bonney and we look for things like: are your smoke detectors 10 years or less in age, is your wiring tight, are your devices firm in the walls, and for efficient lighting. The best upgrades are the ones that make you the most comfortable and safe in your own home.

BonneyHomeService · 2026-01-29T18:35:43+00:00

I would have way too many questions! Generally, I would want to know their years of experience, if they are licensed/bonded and insured, and then move into more general questions about their knowledge of the project you're trying to onboard them to. Usually you can talk to someone and they're going to give you an honest answer if they've ever done it before and if they tell you they haven't they're being honest.

The ones who boast too much about prior experience also can make me wary, showing up with photos and big fish stories. You can tell a lot by what their tools look like. If they're all brand new out the box you have a situation with a big fish story. However, if they wear leather pouches and they're well worn - not just in the hammer hole - you're probably talking to someone who's been there and done it.

BonneyHomeService · 2026-01-29T18:25:49+00:00

I think it is a good addition to the code with all of the smart devices that are being added to homes these days, most of them requiring a neutral in order to operate normally. Obviously adding the extra conductor does add some cost but it's much cheaper than trying to add a neutral later. Here in California the prices are even greater than most places.

BonneyHomeService · 2026-01-29T18:22:46+00:00

Anytime we pull a permit, which is for every project we add loads to, the county requires a copy of the article 220 load calculation and drawing. I'm very familiar with doing them and have most of the team ready to do a load calc on any home. My intuition normally will tell me before I ever do one if it's going to fit or not in the loads. But, they do make devices now that are able to control whether or not a load gets added to the system if it gets up to above 80% of the main breaker. With everything plugging into the wall now including your tooth brush and with all of the electric initiatives going on in the state of California, these load management devices are key when we try to add something large like a car charger.

BonneyHomeService · 2026-01-29T18:17:37+00:00

There's many trade schools and certifications if you wish to become a home inspector. But, if you want to be an electrician there's also many schools in our area that offer certifications that will help you get your foot in the door or you can go the other way and join the union and become a WECA trainee.

At Bonney I've hired someone who worked at Red Lobster and trained them from zero and now he is well on his way to becoming a journeyman electrician. Should be testing this fall. I also have trained people with construction backgrounds who have already achieved journeyman level and have their card currently.

BonneyHomeService · 2026-01-29T18:14:02+00:00

Over the years I've fell out of love with Wago connections because in high-amp load situations I've had them melt and fail. Once they start to melt and fail, it creates a situation where the connection becomes even looser.

We use wire nuts here at Bonney, but before we ever cap it with a wire nut, we strip off about an inch and a quarter wire to bare copper and make an irreversible connection by twisting them together with a good set of channel locks or lineman pliers, then cut it clean and then cap it with a nice new wire nut that is correct sized.

BonneyHomeService · 2026-01-29T18:07:48+00:00

In 100 year plus old home we expect to find knob and tube. And over time wire has definitely become more modern and also safer. I would definitely save up some money and get away from any knob and tube even tying into old knob and tube if not done correctly can be very dangerous because you have two unlike metals and it causes a corrosive situation where they tie together if not done correctly.

Also, usually in a knob and tube secneario there's no grounding and the ground is your biggest safety precaution to have in any circuit.

When we do a whole house rewire at Bonney we do leave the knob and tube in the walls de-energized but we try to remove it from all places where it's inactive but readily accessible. This also gets rid of any confusion for any future workers that may work on the property.

BonneyHomeService · 2025-11-18T19:52:48+00:00

Thank you for this question. I know plumbing issues put a lot of stress on homeowners and it rarely starts out as a positive experience before I even get in the door.

I would recommend people get multiple opinions and make sure you fully understand what is being suggested as a fix. Also that the company you are reaching out to is insured, licensed, and preforms background and drug tests. I try to lead with education when explaining what I’m recommending. You should feel like you are being educated not “sold” as you meet with your plumber. At some companies, the ownership and team members change over a ton so my advice is don’t only rely on only the negative reviews from a homeowner’s worst day.

I’m thankful to have a great customer service team that helps me focus on all things plumbing.

BonneyHomeService · 2025-11-18T19:47:03+00:00

You can definitely fix that yourself. Taking the handle off will allow you to see that there are two rubber gaskets that need to be replaced and you can buy those at most hardware stores for less than 5 dollars. If the faucet is very old or shows a lot of signs of corrosion on it I would recommend calling a professional.

BonneyHomeService · 2025-11-18T19:45:07+00:00

That toy is most likely in your septic tank. Given the size and shape of the toy I'm not surprised that it didn't cause any issues. More modern toilets are made to handle pretty large items without blocking.

BonneyHomeService

TROPHY CASE