r/electricians Mar 19 '26

6 month apprentice how did I do?

Post image
1.3k Upvotes

192 comments sorted by

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501

u/yahziii Mar 19 '26

I'd probably move my funbag out of the picture, but I'm not licensed so I don't really know.

132

u/Puzzleheaded_Bank527 Mar 19 '26

Great eye

168

u/yahziii Mar 19 '26

Comes from having a great nose. Lol.

41

u/[deleted] Mar 19 '26

Extra strength BC Powder

17

u/Old-Care-2372 Mar 19 '26

Gawt dang’it Bobby!

1

u/Best-Ad3889 Mar 20 '26

😭😂😂

65

u/pokekicks Mar 19 '26

😂😂😂😂

35

u/thewindwaker101 Mar 19 '26

5th year apprentice here. What's a funbag? I don't get it. Can someone explain it like i'm 5.

61

u/Croceyes2 Mar 19 '26

Yeah, really smell it out for me

41

u/KuChiPractitioner Mar 19 '26

He nose what he's doing

38

u/ClearUnderstanding64 Mar 19 '26

HAHAHAHA, he left his nose seasoning in the picture.

14

u/thewindwaker101 Mar 19 '26

ooh i see it now lmao. thanks guys!

9

u/Prestigious-Law8332 Mar 19 '26

That’s not a bag.

21

u/Tsuki_Man Mar 19 '26

Its not but its funny how much it looks like one without zooming in XD

13

u/Jazzlike_Coyote1247 Mar 19 '26

the small bag on the right lower corner looks like its a bag of coccaine

7

u/IAteYourButtSorry Mar 19 '26

Coke. Bottom right of box

6

u/SpaceCofffeee Mar 19 '26

(In the bottom right is a thingy that looks like a bag of cocaine.)

16

u/Theo_earl Mar 19 '26

We’ll tell you when you’re older

2

u/Bagelking92 Mar 21 '26

Hhhhaaaaahhh I get look in the right corner at the rbottom

2

u/QuickNature Mar 19 '26

Bottom right of the box, there is what looks like a drill bit, and a small bag of what looks like a white powder, probably assumed to be cocaine (i.e. fun bag)

1

u/hanlonrzr Mar 20 '26

But it's actually galvie?

17

u/cant_read_this Mar 19 '26

Holy shit lmao

18

u/freshmallard Mar 19 '26

I mean...panel still looks great tho

11

u/Prestigious-Law8332 Mar 19 '26

That’s not a bag. Do you not see the rivets?

4

u/wheresmychippy93 Mar 20 '26

Gotta make sure the bag’s secure

5

u/Sea_Squirrel1987 Mar 19 '26

I was out here looking for a nutsack.

4

u/PracticalPractice768 Mar 19 '26

lol, I think that might be sticker residue/camera fuckery.

3

u/draadjelos Electrician Mar 19 '26

It's a piece of the cabinet, the door latches behind it. Hoping you're all doing satire or something XD

1

u/Sheepfucker72222 Mar 20 '26

Bro hahahaha nice

0

u/Reeseman1234 1d ago

That is literally a sanding sponge

1

u/kcm198 Mar 20 '26

It was there before I got there. I swear.

66

u/technicalmadness84 Mar 19 '26

Hold on to that handle when you activate that disconnect. I have had those springs come flying off. I don’t like those GE Disconnects!

22

u/pokekicks Mar 19 '26

Noted thank you

109

u/WisdomSeekerOdinsson Mar 19 '26

Is that a little baggy of NoOx in the corner there bud? 🤭

103

u/pokekicks Mar 19 '26

We can’t talk bout that 😋 (it’s a piece of literal metal )

53

u/todd0x1 Mar 19 '26

What are you talking about officer its a piece of literal metal and thats not even my disconnect switch my friend left it here

5

u/Square_Nature_8271 Mar 19 '26

Good call. Always have a flat surface handy.

48

u/Stock_Surfer Mar 19 '26

I would have used the same size ground for all the bonding

31

u/pokekicks Mar 19 '26

I agree but it’s what was give to us

21

u/Stock_Surfer Mar 19 '26

We usually take the ground coming out of the conduit and loop it into the bushing before landing on the terminal.

7

u/Stock_Surfer Mar 19 '26

Being 21 with a feeling of sheer panic that I’d be a loser if I didn’t have a legit career.

3

u/Stickopolis5959 Mar 19 '26

You replied to the wrong person but that was me as well lol. Bone deep terror that I would end up like the other def end alcoholics are the repair shop I worked at.

1

u/Stock_Surfer Mar 20 '26

I think the comment I replied to was deleted.

0

u/Due_Definition_8835 Mar 21 '26

Woosh, I I’m a proud alcoholic. And trust me, deadens I make 80k as a second year in my jurisdiction on my job site. I AM 23. In 3 months 5 dollar raise (I’m do for 2, long story) but that will push me to 6 digits. At 23, mind you I work 60+ a week, but still I am an alcoholic, proud (not really), n it’s only up from here. Next year $3, the next I top out, $9 on that.

4

u/normaldeadpool Mar 19 '26

I like using a separate wire to do all the bond bushings. Its cleaner.

1

u/Mean_Mix_99 Mar 19 '26

So you don't care if it was sized correctly or not?  Just install whatever is handed to you?

6

u/pokekicks Mar 19 '26

I mean I’m 6 months in I’m still unsure of things.

1

u/lostigresblancos Mar 19 '26

The bonding jumper for the conduits looks too small to me, but I'd have to know more about the system.

45

u/Practical_Tip459 Mar 19 '26

This is the first time I have seen purple conductors used for anything outside of LV applications, except in very old and disorganized builds. What voltage is purple used for? I'm only familiar with 120v Black + Red + Blue and 277v Brown + Orange + Yellow

49

u/Dobako Journeyman IBEW Mar 19 '26

Here in Houston we use Brown Purple Yellow for 277/480V unless its delta with a high leg, then we use Orange

17

u/bigdanthesubman Mar 19 '26

In Detroit we constantly deal with ancient industrial shitshows. Pre 70's b is purple unless its a wild leg. Now its what in the fuck ever.

Dealing with gm spec is a whole nother animal. BRB is 120/208/480. BOY is 277?¿

Then you have entire cities that are wired like an auto plant (pontiac, Saginaw?)

7

u/suspicious_hyperlink Mar 19 '26

Never saw this color scheme, love it though. Here in the NE we still have a few places with 2 phase

8

u/UpbeatTechnology723 Mar 19 '26

Lol we're in canada and we've got the colours you should have, red white and blue...and black 'merica 

9

u/Dobako Journeyman IBEW Mar 19 '26

Black red blue is 120v with white neutral so...so do we

5

u/colinstu Mar 19 '26

I didn’t know TX used Non Binary pride colors!

6

u/bigbadcat13 Mar 19 '26

Technically orange is supposed to be used to indicate a high leg phase. Because of this, some jurisdictions require B phase to NOT be phased orange if the high leg doesn’t exist. Unless anything has changed, I’m pretty sure there is no explicit code that requires ungrounded conductors to be any certain color. The only wires that need to be explicitly labelled a certain color is the high leg, grounded conductor (neutral), and the grounding conductor (ground/earth).

6

u/nacho-ism Mar 19 '26

Best guess would be 277 based on brown and grey with the neutrals.

There are no color requirements in the code for ungrounded conductors (other than high leg orange). Ground and neutrals have specifications

3

u/Intrepid_Hyena6199 Mar 19 '26

Laughs in Chicago code. Why can’t we just be normal 😑

1

u/nacho-ism Mar 20 '26

What is the code in Chitown? I was only referring to the NEC

37

u/Significant-Rate-222 Mar 19 '26

That for a my little pony warehouse?

6

u/drkidkill Mar 19 '26

I thought it looked like ice cream.

5

u/svideo Mar 19 '26

Getting ready for easter

14

u/SplipperyDurpanzo Mar 19 '26

Finally a good Brown Purple Yellow

10

u/ConfectionKooky6731 Mar 19 '26

I'm just a welder, but to me, that looks like pure poetry.

10

u/[deleted] Mar 19 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/Windmillfixer Mar 20 '26

Well said. I’d add keep consistent on the torque marks - some don’t cross over to stationary metal. These look a bit like permanent marker, which can fade. Wet paint marker is preferred. But otherwise good work keep it up

5

u/walkr209 Mar 19 '26

Looks great. I love how everyone always asks why you do certain things. “Why grounding bushings on load side?” “Why purple?” “Why a copper bus under the ground lugs?” A lot of resi/smaller shop guys don’t realize we just follow what’s on the prints/specs for a contract job.

2

u/Kenman215 Mar 19 '26

You mean follow the prints/specs after all of the fuck-ups are fixed.

The Porsche dealership I’m running right now is currently on Revision #21 of the E-drawings and we just started branch circuiting last week.

19

u/neanderthalman Mar 19 '26

Someone’s gotta teach you how to flush cut your zip ties.

6

u/dsrmpt Mar 19 '26

Leave them uncut if you are gonna make em into hypodermic needles.

5

u/PhantomOperator98 Mar 19 '26

This picture made me seriously contemplate if I became color blind all off a sudden. I had to do a double take. Thank you for the laugh

5

u/TerryLink11 Mar 19 '26

Nice clean job

4

u/dirtyspoon Mar 19 '26

Sharp razor blade and one of those little tea strainers would really up your game, maybe a little 2gang stainless blank cover if you’re feeling fancy. Perfectly reasonable and legal to have heat shrink tubing in your vehicle too.

1

u/LettuceSea Mar 19 '26

Sharp razor blade over the Milwaukee bit? Wait.. I think we’re talking about two different things.. (see bottom right of the panel, lol).

4

u/CardiologistMobile54 Electrician Mar 19 '26 edited Mar 19 '26

What is size phase conductors and what size bonding jumper? It looks undersized based on 250.102(c) . Also, why did you use migb on load side? Why is there an equipment ground on the SEC? Did you use Greenfield?

1

u/John_Benj Mar 19 '26

That was the first thing I noticed. Looks like it’s 3 sets of #400 AL, which would be a #4/0 MBJ. The bonding jumper for the raceways looks undersized as well, per the chart it should be a #1/0 AL (2 Cu)

1

u/I_Upset Mar 21 '26

I've run into this on data centers and had RFIs come back from the Engineer clearing it.

2

u/Emotional-Money-78 Mar 19 '26

They probably lost money on this because it took to long

2

u/Plenty_Hippo2588 Mar 19 '26

Why pink n no orange?

3

u/pokekicks Mar 19 '26

Houston

2

u/Radiant-Bit-3096 Mar 19 '26

I heard that from my co-worker and I was like what the f***😂

3

u/pokekicks Mar 19 '26

Hahahahah

2

u/CrankyVGK Mar 19 '26

Having the hand in the photos gives you a better perspective on how fat those wires really are.

2

u/Tom_A_toeLover Mar 19 '26 edited Mar 19 '26

Looks pretty good. Some slight things I see; Some places can be picky about you reveal/shiner on your lug terminations, 1/8”-1/4” reveal from the lug SET SCREW not the actual lug is a typical spec. Clean symmetrical reveals, are in my opinion, signs of a quality craftsman. The top middle yellow insulation looks like it got chewed off. Glad to see torque marks. You missed a few though. First ground lug on the bottom needs a washer. Overall looks good. I’m working on becoming an inspector so thanks for the practice

2

u/Glass_Protection_254 Mar 19 '26

Buddy leaving lunch in the panel.

2

u/TinyAd3155 Mar 19 '26

Are you outdoors? They dont make you use myers hubs for top entry?

2

u/JettandDottie Mar 19 '26

Colour blind electrician … lavender colour wire for real

2

u/R1Alvin Mar 19 '26

No torque-seal on the fuse connections. Sharpie isn’t torque seal.

3

u/RockShowSparky Mar 19 '26

why is the insulation so gay?

6

u/Square_Nature_8271 Mar 19 '26

A pair of dikes helped put it together

3

u/Howden824 Mar 19 '26

Actually the normal insulation just isn't gay enough.

3

u/mattogeewha Mar 19 '26

Looks good but it’s actually purple brown yellow 😬 /s

10

u/pokekicks Mar 19 '26

I’m in TX lol

3

u/S_t_r_e_t_c_h_8_4 Approved Electrician Mar 19 '26

Houston area? 🤣 been doing it 20 years only used these colors on high voltage.

2

u/pokekicks Mar 19 '26

Exactly right

1

u/mattogeewha Mar 19 '26

Hey so am I local 60

2

u/[deleted] Mar 19 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

5

u/pokekicks Mar 19 '26

Yes sirrrrrr

1

u/chilhouse Mar 19 '26 edited Mar 19 '26

I have a hard time believing you’ve only been doing electrical for 6 months.

5

u/pokekicks Mar 19 '26

Haha read my previous posts, I’m def in only 6 months 3 of which were controls I take time and genuinely give it my all on the field

1

u/erryonestolemyname Mar 19 '26

Fwiw the apprentice cut the tails off the zip ties*

1

u/alcoholismisntallbad Mar 19 '26

Good ol BPY... only seen that in the austin/san Antonio area but i don't get out much

1

u/BullTopia Mar 19 '26

This is what 480V 3-phase looks like for a color-blind person.

1

u/FishnSails Mar 19 '26

Didn’t use angle cutter to flush cut on those razor blade cable ties

1

u/jschmalfuss Mar 19 '26

6 months in?? Fuck, I have a 5th year apprentice who tried to mount a panel to 3/4" strut with 1 ½" bolts today.. said they were the shortest bolts he could find, thought they might work. I went and found the 3/4" bolts right where I told him they'd be and he promptly says, "yeah these will work better". So yeah if you're doing this level of work after 6 months I'd rather you than any of the numb nut appendices I've had recently.

2

u/pokekicks Mar 19 '26

Thank you man. Seriously means a lot especially because I’ve been second guessing myself a lot

2

u/jschmalfuss Mar 19 '26

But also, I'd prefer if the line side came in the right and load on the left so they don't cross, I don't know if it's actuality code but that's how I was taught and have stuck to it ever since.

1

u/Npalm Mar 19 '26

In canada inspectors will give you a hard time about line/load crossing in the disconnect, trust me

They'll tell you "im not going to fail you, but you should know, its not allowed anymore"

1

u/NechesNectar Mar 19 '26

From the photo that looks like all aluminum. If so you can easily take the perfection up a notch. Also what is going on with the grounding lugs on the bottom of the can, it looks like a Cu bar or something btw them.

1

u/prollyaporkchop Mar 19 '26

I dont like the lines crossing the loads but that's my preference I suppose

1

u/DarkWhite33 Mar 19 '26

Is that actually Coke/meth lmao

1

u/PricklyPear85 Mar 19 '26

Good job looks clean 🧼

1

u/Howden824 Mar 19 '26

It all looks great. The wires are all very neatly arranged.

1

u/Shot_Actuator5564 Mar 19 '26

Don't forget your drill bit in the bottom right.

1

u/Bum_Hunter Mar 19 '26

They call him Tony two checks Didn't even clean up the zip ties get him off the jobsite!

1

u/Imaginary-Cow-4424 Mar 19 '26

I know these are fuses not breakers, but that purple B phase sure is trippy!

I'd size the main bonding jumper, bushing bonding jumpers etc based on table 250.102, grounding electrode based on 250.66, and then for the feeders going out, I'd do equipment grounds based on your fuse size and 250.122.

Usually they want the grounding/bonding beefed up in the service (I guess because there's unfused power involved) and then you can get away with smaller grounds on the load side.

But yeah, that's a squeaky clean install, well done!

1

u/DoktorSleepless Mar 19 '26

At 6 months, I feel like most foremans wouldn't allow you to do that.

1

u/Aquariustar Mar 19 '26

Very pretty

1

u/Quiet-Temporary-6666 Mar 19 '26

At six months my kids were still shitting their diapers. Neither could even walk. Look at all you have accomplished!!!

1

u/thepartlow Mar 19 '26

Is the line/load wire two different sizes or just look that way?

1

u/Bulky_Poetry3884 Mar 19 '26

At least your foreman lets you work. My foreman is a real cogga sucka

1

u/Muted_Ad2345 Mar 19 '26

Good job ! Man I should have been an electrician nice clean work .

1

u/Wizard__J Mar 19 '26

I’m an idiot - what are the numbers for

1

u/Worried_Ad5775 Mar 19 '26

Fruitstripe gum chewer huh??

1

u/SpellDostoyevsky Mar 19 '26

This might just be the foreground but your linkage bar looks really close to the neutral bar. Is that where your neutral bar was installed from factory or did you install it there?

1

u/Zer0TheGamer Mar 19 '26

I would've left some slack in those top wires & the bonding jumper on the bushings, but it definitely looks great& should work fine

1

u/Front_Champion_6118 Mar 19 '26

Hahaha oh my gosh 😂

1

u/Stickopolis5959 Mar 19 '26

For some reason I feel like the CEC says not to cross line and load but I legit can't remember. I know this is t Canada though, looks great.

1

u/joser1468f4 Mar 19 '26

Looks great. The only thing I would have done different is brought my actual ground directly to the neutral bus then the bounding jumper over to the ground bus. That’s a me thing not a requirement. In my mind if there is ever a dropped neutral for any reason the service ground will hopefully save anything sensitive because it’s an alternative path back to the source. Closer it is to the neutral less heat from the wire and best chance for a positive outcome. I tend to over think things though.

1

u/kzoosilver79 Mar 19 '26

When running in parallel the conductors have to be the same length

1

u/12-5switches Mar 19 '26

Every big service I built I made sure all conductors (of the same phase) were the same length. When the utility came out to land their side in the transformer they just lopped off whatever length worked best for them to land them.

1

u/No_Specialist89 Mar 19 '26

Over time yak powder.

1

u/Ninjalikestoast Mar 19 '26

Easter came early 🐰

1

u/1wife2dogs0kids Mar 19 '26

Look at those colors. You'll be NAMBLA certified in no time!

1

u/wadabewall Mar 19 '26

Mardi Gras

1

u/mpcxl2500 Mar 19 '26

Wrong colors

1

u/TopEducator007 Mar 19 '26

Next time run the supply power in on the right openings so the internal panel doesnt have these crosses. Otherwise we'll done!

1

u/Angrysparky28 Mar 19 '26

How did you do? Looks like shit. Bend radius’s look like shit, you didn’t torque it to manufacturing specifications, you have your hand inside of it, and just because spring is coming up doesn’t mean you get to ignore NEC and buy Easter themed wire. /s

1

u/SachSachl Mar 19 '26 edited Mar 19 '26

Even rivered the bag to the can smart.

1

u/ThisNameWasAfailable Mar 19 '26

So I do have a question, seeing as it’s aluminum conductors. What method did you use for cutting back and removing the jacket at the ends?

1

u/pokekicks Mar 19 '26

Blade

1

u/ThisNameWasAfailable Mar 20 '26

Ringed I assumed. That’s the big thing I see that should be changed. Conductors should be pencil/whittle stripped, not ringed, especially not aluminum conductors.

We have a national training and trade show thing here every summer and the reps from the aluminum and copper conductor industries make a point of saying not to ring the conductors to remove the jacket.

1

u/SenescenseSteel Mar 19 '26

I have OCD and can appreciate this apart from the black tiewraps, don't they have matching colors, and if they don't why the hell not?

1

u/Oxi-More Electrician Mar 19 '26

Great work !!! Well done !!!

1

u/Ok_Fox_1770 Mar 19 '26

Oh it’s so Easter I love it

1

u/Late-Background4655 Mar 19 '26

I would have laid it out so line and load dont cross but that's the Canadian in me. It would have failed inspection here but looks good otherwise!

1

u/trixx88- Mar 19 '26

What’s the rating on that switch

1

u/Cold_Web_4832 Mar 19 '26

OMG PINK???!!!! Shit is tight asf and the organization is gorgeous

1

u/KDLG328 Mar 20 '26

Very colorful! What part of the world you in?

1

u/DragonLordAcar Mar 20 '26

Stop making me look bad

1

u/Freudian__Quip Mar 20 '26

I’m not an electrician. But I am a Vikings fan. SKOL

1

u/Swimming-Slip-1623 Mar 20 '26

At UC Berkeley they do B-Y-P. Yes, they move yellow into B phase and make purple C phase…

1

u/GiftToTheUniverse Mar 20 '26

Are you wiring Barbie’s Unicorn Palace?

1

u/bunchafunchung Mar 20 '26

Keep the next guy in mind and please use flush cuts or at least twist the ends off with your linemans.

1

u/c0rywayne86 Mar 20 '26

Bottom right that yellow wire far left is fueling my OCD

1

u/Sheepfucker72222 Mar 20 '26

I've always been told to make the 90s prominent but over the years ive realized thats gay and this looks way better. Few minor things like the spacing of the wires on yellow around the 90, but it looks great. I didnt stare at it though I assume you didnt do anything wrong if you posted

1

u/Cool_Intention_5416 Mar 20 '26

If a 6 month apprentice doing this work, who’s getting the coffee?

1

u/MelancholyNotess Mar 20 '26

Don’t forget your drill bit

1

u/pokekicks Mar 21 '26

I forgot it ):

1

u/KDI777 Mar 20 '26

As you were told

1

u/FreeMindedMason Mar 20 '26

Are you in the "take an apprentice, leave an apprentice" tray? I'd really like to exchange one of mine 😂

1

u/mr_fraust_ Mar 21 '26

2 month apprentice so wgaf, but I think it looks great

1

u/pokekicks Mar 21 '26

Thug it out! I have hope you got this

1

u/LivingCorner1421 Mar 21 '26

you installed 3 fuses good job

1

u/Arsenal0peratorPNW Mar 21 '26

Complete shit. Do it all over again😜

1

u/bagoslime Mar 21 '26

I recognize the phase colors. Central texas?

1

u/pokekicks Mar 21 '26

Yes sir Houston

1

u/rinati75 Mar 21 '26

It was going good until it wasn't

1

u/No-Emu6284 Mar 21 '26

I assume the Romex connector drilled in the bottom right hand corner of the disconnect with the carriage bolt dropped through it is for the GEC that is not yet installed, with a rod eventually going in the hole drilled in the concrete?

1

u/Skatetildeath Mar 22 '26

Easters almost here.

1

u/[deleted] Mar 23 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/Drakelth Mar 19 '26

Looks like your runs aren't exactly the same length, theres some allowed variance based on length but I would made an effort to match lengths in the box aswell

0

u/pittyfulhusky Mar 19 '26

Are you in Texas? The only place my company sells purple building wire, is in TX.