Job, what do you do

[Cape Cruiser]

I'm glad that we don't work with anything over 480 volts in our buildings, that is the utility providers problems. It's funny that they call our 480 volt secondary power "low voltage", but it's nothing to laugh at! The 120 volt still scares me, guess that's why I'm still alive!

Mike 480 is no joke! I have heard lineman say that lower voltage makes you grab the conductor and not release where high voltage blasts you away from it. We had a lineman die in his bucket truck insulated to 100,000 volts. He was going along a house service wire 220v and didnt have rubber gloves or sleeves on just leather work gloves .As he slid along the wire there was an open and he bridged it killing him with 110 volts. Safety equipment and procedures are so important.

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[gfitzge2]

Mike 480 is no joke! I have heard lineman say that lower voltage makes you grab the conductor and not release where high voltage blasts you away from it. We had a lineman die in his bucket truck insulated to 100,000 volts. He was going along a house service wire 220v and didnt have rubber gloves or sleeves on just leather work gloves .As he slid along the wire there was an open and he bridged it killing him with 110 volts. Safety equipment and procedures are so important.

Absolutely true Bret. Since we have veered of the topic a little, let me present some facts. Maybe they will help some others think about electrical safety. And maybe even save a life.

The US National Safety Council estimates that 300 people a year die and thousands are injured from electric shock, often from systems operating at not more than 120V.

The severity of an electric shock is dependent on the magnitude of the current and the path through the body.

As a general starting point dry human skin has about 1000 ohms of resistance.
I = E/R 120 volts /1000 ohms = .12 amps or 120 milliamps
I = intensity measured in amps, E = electromotive force measured in volts, R = resistance measured in ohms

Electrical shock.
Sensation 0.3 mA
Very uncomfortable 0.7 mA
Max “Let Go” 10 mA
Fibrillation 50 mA

Fibrillation, if no one intervenes you will die. We should all know CPR.

GFCI trip at 4 to 6 milliamps

Just one more thing and I will get off my soap box.


Please never ever swim or let anyone you know, not even your dog, swim in a marina. Look up ESD.

 

[Mpro2]

Absolutely true Bret. Since we have veered of the topic a little, let me present some facts. Maybe they will help some others think about electrical safety. And maybe even save a life.

The US National Safety Council estimates that 300 people a year die and thousands are injured from electric shock, often from systems operating at not more than 120V.

The severity of an electric shock is dependent on the magnitude of the current and the path through the body.

As a general starting point dry human skin has about 1000 ohms of resistance.
I = E/R 120 volts /1000 ohms = .12 amps or 120 milliamps
I = intensity measured in amps, E = electromotive force measured in volts, R = resistance measured in ohms

Electrical shock.
Sensation 0.3 mA
Very uncomfortable 0.7 mA
Max “Let Go” 10 mA
Fibrillation 50 mA

Fibrillation, if no one intervenes you will die. We should all know CPR.

GFCI trip at 4 to 6 milliamps

Just one more thing and I will get off my soap box.


Please never ever swim or let anyone you know, not even your dog, swim in a marina. Look up ESD.

Thanks for the info Gregg. That should open some eyes up about the "silent killer!" I have seen many gory safety videos over the years, and rather not be part of one. So, I don't complain anymore about the PPE requirement. Oh yeah, sorry to veer off the subject also....

 

[DHMag]

My dad was an electrician for GM. He always told me that electric motors are filled with magic smoke. If you let the magic smoke out of the motor, the motor is no good.

My current job is machine and facility maintenance for a local woodworking company with an off site branch North Texas. We have a total of 8 moulders (Weinig being the majority brand), 2 gang rips, a spray line for priming MDF. We also have various other machinery but the moulders and gang rips are the life blood (aside from the 75k CFM dust collector and air compressor). Being the only maintenance guy between 2 locations, I am very busy.

 

[Mpro2]

I am also retired. I went through a construction electrician apprenticeship program (IBEW) but spent my last 28 working years as an electrician in a Ford assembly plant. Retired in January 2017. Now I attend high school football games, cheer leading competitions, orchestra recitals, etc. in support of the grand kids. Good times!!

I also find time for a project or two.

Love that Honda Mini Trail! That was my first two wheeled motorized vehicle! Back in the 70's!

 

[gfitzge2]

Love that Honda Mini Trail! That was my first two wheeled motorized vehicle! Back in the 70's!

It was a fun project. I didn't have one as a kid but I always wanted one. I had an off brand mini bike with a horizontal shaft basically lawn mower type engine.
As you probably know these are often referred to as Monkey bikes because an adult riding one looks like a bit like a monkey. Now I am that guy.

 

[JaysOnTheEDGE]

Got to work on a $170K EFI flatbed ink printer yesterday. You know something went wrong somewhere when you got ink in the lines that are for air only.

 

[en13]

Wow, a lot of you have or have had amazing careers. Respect to all the military and first responders out there, I really appreciate your willingness to serve. I also love to see the work of all the builder/creative folks.

In a nutshell, I run global infrastructure/security operations teams in the video game / movie / entertainment industries. I'm also a consultant, and have my own little company reselling IT equipment and connectivity.

I spend as much time as I can outdoors and off grid to escape all the digital noise as fun as it can be

 

[gfitzge2]

Wow, a lot of you have or have had amazing careers. Respect to all the military and first responders out there, I really appreciate your willingness to serve. I also love to see the work of all the builder/creative folks.

In a nutshell, I run global infrastructure/security operations teams in the video game / movie / entertainment industries. I'm also a consultant, and have my own little company reselling IT equipment and connectivity.

I spend as much time as I can outdoors and off grid to escape all the digital noise as fun as it can be

Ernie. I fully appreciate your escape to the out doors. I spent the first part of my work life in construction but the last 28 years in a Ford plant working on robots and automation. When I could swing it I moved out away from the city to 6 acres of land. Cutting grass and clearing brush is therapy for me. I liked my time at Ford but decided I had seen enough concrete and steel for one life time and I am now happily retired. One of my wishes in life is that every one else gets to enjoy retirement as much as I do.

I also echo your respect for the military and first responders.

 

[Chrisr24]

Wow a lot of awesome careers out there. I myself am a service advisor for a german car repair shop. (I've owned 4 VW/Audi cars) and absolutely love my job. Also big perk is i get a shop to work on my truck whenever i need to! haha.

 

[lawrench]

IT
Do not want to get more specific than that.

 

[FX4Offroad]

IT
Do not want to get more specific than that.

As in "Cousin"...

 

[RangersLeadTheWay]

Active duty Army... my job??? Well, that’s a secret (at least that’s what my recruiter told me a long time ago... “you’ll be doing some James Bond type stuff”) ?

 

[SOHK_Alumni]

20 years of pretty odd ball IT for the Air Force - Some really cool stuff with the initial B2 Bomber flight test program, no fun flying with AWACS for a few years, some really interesting stuff for the Intel guys at Central Command.

Found out I hated civilian IT after working for a couple Fortune 500 companies as an IT Engineer.

Bailed out of IT (2 degrees and nearly 30 years left behind) to take on all the refrigeration for a frozen novelty manufacturer. Take about a real career shift!

Have about 1800 horse power of spinning refrigeration systems. Just finished a scratch built chiller, 800 gallons per min, 2 degrees C delta T at -38 C. About $180k in bits/parts/pieces but would have cost well over $500k to buy. Great fun!

 

[Jackson84]

Degree in Emergency Medical Managment, was a career FF/Paramedic for about 7 years...or what I thought would be a career until a lay off...Joined the Army a little late in life. Currently a Critical Care Flight Paramedic for the Army fulltime and a contract flight paramedic locally.

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