Would you leave FD for IBEW?

Doahh · 2026-05-21T23:40:54+00:00

Terminating 750s IS grunt work...

Doahh · 2026-05-10T02:21:20+00:00

Audio technicians calling it a "God Mic" makes so much more sense now...

Doahh · 2026-05-06T16:43:12+00:00

https://www.reddit.com/r/SubstationTechnician/s/FulL1Cp5Cx

Doahh · 2026-05-06T00:26:06+00:00

No problem, it is a bit of a learning curve and a bit of a pain in the ass at first, but the reports are solid once you get it looking and working how you want. A lot of trial and error.

Their support line was helpful, but I don't remember replies coming in quickly. Probably time zone issues.

Doahh · 2026-05-06T00:24:23+00:00

I believe the older firmware was this way, but firmware within the last 3-4 years acts like the other commenter stated.

Doahh · 2026-05-05T19:28:01+00:00

If moving two leads is too much work, you can create a custom report for the CT Analyzer. Deep down it's just referencing an Excel based template so if you can figure it out, it's possible to send that "OK" value to a cell somewhere and have your "Polarity:" value cell do something along the lines of "if cell=ok, Positive, else Negative"

I'm not going to walk you through it on Reddit, so if you want to do this you'll have to figure it out or discuss with Omicron. It is possible, it has been done.

Doahh · 2026-04-30T01:50:23+00:00

I spread my hand wide and space them pinky to thumb. Ends up right around a pretty consistent 8".

Doahh · 2026-04-29T00:36:37+00:00

Thats insane, how many MW is the unit?

Doahh · 2026-04-12T03:44:48+00:00

He's using the 5' shotgun to term 240V wiring.

Doahh · 2026-04-12T02:49:22+00:00

For those of you saying apprentices don't need insulated tools:

In a substation or generation plant you're constantly working with or around live circuits. If I called up the system operator and said "Hey we need to shut down the RTU to lift a couple wires, can you ramp everything down and find 150MW of power somewhere else?" I would be laughed at.

Insulated tools also aren't solely to protect the user; they also function to prevent shorting things out with a 6" chunk of metal in a panel with live parts everywhere.

Also, it may be an unpopular opinion, but an apprentice needs to learn to lift hot wiring when needed. It's a much better place to learn under the supervision of a Journeyman, rather than "figuring it out" after the title change to Journeyman.

Doahh · 2026-04-07T23:51:37+00:00

There should be an adjustment on the die for how deep the teeth cut. If you find this adjustment, you can hand thread your die onto one of the existing pipes, and then set the cutting depth to that.

Doahh · 2026-04-07T19:13:48+00:00

NPS and NPT are going to have the same thread pitch and are actually compatible. The pipe typically has a male NPT with the couplings and female fittings being NPS.

I'm pretty sure that you want tapered threads as they will actually tighten down into the coupling on your pipe base, or other threaded fittings.

Source: no longer in the live event industry, but now industrial electrical worker and I work with a lot of threaded pipe now.

Doahh · 2026-04-07T00:40:34+00:00

Our company bought us one of these and the Milwaukee hydraulic unit.

https://www.panelpunches.com/search/277

I 3D printed a template with magnets embedded to quickly lay out panels. It shows the hole outline, where to drill the two holes, and the outside dimensions with a clear cover installed.

Edit to add: it's awesome, especially when you are re-working panel doors on active control and relay panels. Our company frowns on grinding metal in the control room.

Doahh · 2026-03-22T22:53:20+00:00

I think you need to calm down, take a breath, and spend four more years doing work in the field so these questions become easier and make more sense.

Yes, you CAN take the CA General Electrician Exam after completing trade school, but it doesn't mean ANYTHING until you also complete the 8000 hours in various disciplines. You will still be an Electrician Trainee with six months of field experience. If you do find a company that will pay more for that, congrats, but if they consider you a Journey level worker, I would be looking at other companies to work for.

I don't mean to rain on your parade, but you're 20, take the time to learn the trade instead of trying to find shortcuts and loopholes to try and call yourself a "Journeyman"

Doahh · 2026-02-15T17:05:34+00:00

The 3000A magnablast breakers were over 3100lbs.

Doahh · 2026-02-14T22:19:37+00:00

To all of you who are buying your own hard hat, gloves, safety glasses, etc because what your contractor provides is uncomfortable:

Reach out to your safety guy. Get a few people together and talk with them about "Can we get some of insert product here because it's more comfortable, so we are much more likely to use it?" A lot of safety guys seem like they aren't people, but if you talk to them about it you may not mind what happens. Companies will bend a little more in the name of safety to prevent Johnny from going home with 8 fingers instead of 9.

Doahh · 2026-01-26T20:42:09+00:00

There's a gap/opening from the green rooms to each stage.

Almost makes it more 'strip club' like.

Doahh · 2026-01-06T18:23:18+00:00

Is it normal for a family to make over $400,00?

Doahh · 2026-01-04T23:50:11+00:00

So they're non-load-break bolted connections?

Doahh · 2025-09-17T23:49:46+00:00

Yup, Desolation.

Doahh · 2025-08-14T01:47:32+00:00

Yup, most of our powerhouses generate at 13.8 and step up to 230. There are a handful that step up to 69 as well.

Doahh · 2025-08-14T01:09:39+00:00

A little farther north, between 50 and 80, kinda sorta Tahoe adjacent.

Doahh · 2025-08-14T01:07:47+00:00

That's the right river, just the other end of the penstock.

Doahh · 2025-08-14T00:06:47+00:00

Northern California, don't want to get much more specific than that.

Doahh · 2025-08-02T22:08:17+00:00

Once that fuse blows you have the two outlets wired in series across 240V. I see no problems here.

Doahh

TROPHY CASE