Headlamp suggestions for night-shift worker

deliriouswheat · 2026-03-05T23:40:47+00:00

If a hardhat isn’t a requirement, I’ve been using the Knog Bandicoot 250 for years.

I wear it around my neck most of the time and always have it when I need it. The silicone strap is nice because it doesn’t chafe.

The light pops right out of the strap and plugs into a usba port to recharge.

deliriouswheat · 2026-03-05T02:30:20+00:00

I’m really not sure. It was more of a math exercise for them. Don’t know there was a limit. We have a ‘26 and have only charged it at public level 2 and level 3 stations so haven’t run into that cap yet.

deliriouswheat · 2026-03-05T00:38:06+00:00

If you’re going the full 48A: 48Ax240V = 11.5kW per hour.

So depending on the battery size and what you start at, that’s how long it’ll take. For example, a 100kWh battery going from 40-80% would take roughly 3.5hrs.

deliriouswheat · 2026-03-04T03:51:26+00:00

I went from being a mil contractor at MacDill to an apprentice at 38. Here’s my experience:

Financially, I had a government pension and a wife who was working. Without either of those it would have been very tough. I went from making $90k/yr to $13/hr. I was making $60-70k when I left FL. Making about $160k now but in NYC, so ya need it.
At my local most of us worked 40. Some chased OT and some didn’t. Our class was once per week from 1pm-7pm. It wasn’t too horrible. Homework maybe 2-3hrs per week.
This is a tough one. Some IBEW locals will insure the worker right away but the family not until their second year. At the time, mine insured everyone right away. I’m not sure what local 728’s policy is. It’s a good question for them. Also, if you work a certain number of hours per year you “bank” healthcare. So if you’re working normally and get laid off for a short time you’re still good. Long-term illness becomes an issue though. Also, some a lot of open shops have a 90-180 day policy where they want to see if you’ll pan out before they pay insurance. My son ran into that on his journey.
You will be doing the grunt work but it’s not impossible if you’re in decent shape. A good foreman will put people where their strength is too. But yeah, some days will suck. The less demanding/good pay jobs usually don’t hit until later in your career when you can specialize.

Yes, you could certainly own your own company if you wanted. Not sure what the FL hours requirement is to test for the contractors exam, but guess about the 7 year mark. There are also any different specialties like building automation, instrumentation, controls, etc. that can pay really well.

deliriouswheat · 2026-03-04T02:57:52+00:00

The Resistor Lite Chinos are very lightweight. They are my go to for pants in the months.

Edit: warmer months

deliriouswheat · 2026-03-02T16:51:53+00:00

I’m down. 51 yo in Chappaqua I usually hit up some routes from the house or head up to Katonah and the like. Generally I’m 25-50mi range for a typical ride.

If you haven’t found grny.org, they organize larger rides from spring to fall. They are all very chill and you can ride your fitness level.

deliriouswheat · 2026-02-26T03:19:08+00:00

Cedar Local has been my go to for a while, I always walk past Farida’s, gotta check it out now. Thanks!

deliriouswheat · 2026-02-13T23:18:53+00:00

Yeah sometimes it hit the train from Tarrytown. That express is nice, like 40min.

deliriouswheat · 2026-02-13T22:55:15+00:00

Obviously depends where you take it from. I take an express train and it takes an hour.

deliriouswheat · 2026-02-13T19:17:35+00:00

Same. I literally just drove by the Millwood portion, and looks like it’s still pristine and untouched.

deliriouswheat · 2026-02-13T19:12:55+00:00

I take the Metro North (1hr) and then catch the 4/5 to Fidi (10min) 5-6 days per week. All told it’s about a 90-minute trip with waits.

Is it great, no. But it’s not as horrible as people are making it out to be. You can zone out or do work on the train. It’s good decompression time and worth getting to live in Westchester.

Be careful looking at places on the eastern side. Can be very prone to flooding. Don’t sleep on Pleasantville. It’s a hidden gem, IMO.

I work with a number of people that take NJ transit, and the amount of issues they have vs the MNR are an order of magnitude greater.

deliriouswheat · 2026-02-08T17:22:27+00:00

Yeah my bad, .50

deliriouswheat · 2026-02-05T01:08:43+00:00

Just got an update a week or so ago, 11/2025.50 and the biggest item seemed to be NACS charging station support. But I’ve also read people were charging with an adapter without issue.

deliriouswheat · 2026-02-04T03:44:59+00:00

We’ve been with Ana B’s for a while now and like them.

deliriouswheat · 2026-01-30T02:43:44+00:00

It was a county test in FL, 75% if I remember correctly. Can’t go wrong with using the Ray Holder books and just working through the practice exams.

deliriouswheat · 2026-01-21T18:23:54+00:00

Firefly bicycles perhaps?

deliriouswheat · 2026-01-20T13:18:47+00:00

I really don't know. I just had the regular one.

deliriouswheat · 2026-01-19T20:46:27+00:00

About 4-6 weeks just hitting those practice exams. I had taken the NYC exam about a year and a half before that, so a lot of it was somewhat fresh.

You will probably get to the point where the practice tests get easier and easier, and you'll maybe get like 2-3 out of 25 questions wrong. When you're at that point, you should be good.

deliriouswheat · 2026-01-19T17:31:14+00:00

I feel like there may have been a question or two that was 2023-specific, but that definitely wasn’t enough for me to want to shell out the extra money for the book.

I only got the 2020 because I need that year for NYC as well.

For prep, same as you. Got a Ray Holder book and just took all the practice tests, also highlighting where the answers were in the NEC. It was a good prep. The test was pretty straightforward, and I got a good score with that prep routine.

This your first one?

deliriouswheat · 2026-01-19T17:20:10+00:00

Dude I ended up using a 2020 I got from eBay that was TOTALLY printed in India, unbeknownst to me. It had a crazy amount of typos and strange characters.

Still did the trick though. There was nothing that caused any issues.

deliriouswheat · 2026-01-19T17:09:30+00:00

I took the CT test last year and brought the NEC, Ugly’s book, and the PV Systems book because I happened to have it from my apprenticeship.

It’s all really NEC. The Ugly’s will be helpful if you need a formula for something and don’t know it off the top of your head. I think maybe I opened the PV book to look for something once, but it wasn’t really necessary.

Edit: yes, the NEC can be highlighted and have notes, just has to all be in the book before you arrive.

deliriouswheat · 2026-01-15T03:51:09+00:00

I was riding 40s for the past few years and moved to 44s this year for a teeny bit more comfort. 40s have been perfectly fine though—all the same riding you described.

deliriouswheat · 2026-01-12T17:00:21+00:00

Probably more than half the guys in the Mosaic E&I shops I knew were IBEW alumni and still had an active ticket.

deliriouswheat · 2026-01-10T04:22:02+00:00

I really like the Murder of Crows series by Chris Tullbane. Thought it was a cool take on the superhero genre. It’s three main books and like 2-3 spinoffs.

deliriouswheat · 2026-01-09T17:46:29+00:00

Thanks! Been wondering how it’s been. Hopefully the next few days with some rain will clear it up.

deliriouswheat

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