Electrician U

Watch Dustin from Electrician U as he demonstrates how to wire up an electrical panel in this detailed video. Whether you're an experienced electrician or just interested in the craft, this hands-on look at materials, organization, and best practices is worth a watch. 🛠️🔌 00:00 - Intro 00:11 - Materials - What kind of panel, breakers, wire and connectors used 02:21 - Logic of how to lay out a panel 04:15 - Demonstration 10:09 - Using Ty-Raps to keep everything neat and orderly 12:10 - How many conductors can fit in each connector? 12:59 - Alternative way to secure your main feed 16:44 - ABB Ty-Raps 17:09 - Electrician U Membership ⬇ Sign up below ⬇ 17:59 - Demonstration Continues 19:00 - Did You Know: How to apply NOALOX properly 20:07 - Demonstration Continues 21:15 - Why would the inspector fail you? In this demonstration, Dustin takes on the task of wiring an electrical panel, covering every detail from beginning to end. Starting with an overview of the materials including the type of panel and breakers, NM Cable, "Romex", #12's, 8's, and 6's, he highlights the importance of keeping everything organized and neat. The layout of the panel is crucial, with emphasis on grouping arc-faults circuits, 220 circuits, and ground-faults circuits. The main part of the video focuses on hands-on techniques, starting with a personal touch of using scrap wire to keep the conductors from being unruly, followed by cutting off the sheathing, and taking extra care with wire management. Dustin shares a special technique using Ty-Raps that are listed to be used in electrical environments, showing how to organize and tuck away the grounds with ABB's Ty-Raps. Special attention is paid to conductor fitting, securing the main feeder using Ty-Raps, and the proper application of NOALOX. The tool provided by ABB tightens and cuts the Ty-Rap, leaving no sharp edges, ensuring safety and quality. Wrapping up, the video explores potential pitfalls and how to avoid inspection failure. Tips include double-checking work, ensuring proper torque settings on the lugs, not double lugging on the neutral or ground bus, and ensuring wires are stapled securely. The demonstration emphasizes the importance of precision, care, and adherence to code. 🤘⚡️EU MEMBERSHIP⚡️🤘 Sign up here --- https://www.electricianu.com/electrician-u-membership/ JOIN ELECTRICIAN U - become a member and get: Premium Members-Only Videos Monthly Deep-Dive Courses All of our Practice Exams 300 Question Code Cannon Weekly Lesson Emailed to You Private Members-Only Discord Channel 🎓💡CONTINUING EDUCATION💡🎓 Sign up here --- https://www.electricianu.com/continuing-education/ State Approved Video Based ✍📝PRACTICE EXAMS📝✍ Sign up here --- https://www.electricianu.com/electrician-u-membership/ Timed Online Residential Wireman Exam Timed Online Journeyman Exam Timed Online Master Exam 300 Question Online Code Cannon (not timed) Take as many times as you want All of the above come with printable PDFs 🎤🎧PODCAST🎧🎤 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7ldCwdxhWnT0R3nne96XjC?si=a42a98b83c3549fc&nd=1 Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/electrician-u/id1583270265 📱👍SOCIALS👍📱 TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@electricianu Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/electrician_u/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TheElectricianU/ Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/r/ElectricianU/ Rumble - https://rumble.com/c/ElectricianU LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/electricianu 🎧🎹Music, Editing, and Videography by Drake Descant and Rob LeBlanc🎹🎧 #electrician #electrical #electricity #tyrap #ABB #installationproducts #electricalcontractors #electricalindustry #cabletie #Sponsored @ABBInstallationProducts

Watch Dustin from Electrician U break down the essentials of disconnecting means in electrical systems. Learn about various types of disconnects, from main service to equipment, and get insights into NEC codes and historical shifts from fuses to circuit breakers. This video offers practical tips and code-compliant know-how for electricians in the field. 00:00 - Intro 02:04 - Materials: Different Types of Disconnecting Means 06:00 - Schneider Electric's VisiPacT Safety Switches 09:19 - Demonstration 10:18 - Did You Know? 11:31 - Electrical Theory: What happens when we can't shut power off? 19:44 - Code First up, Dustin lays down the basics. A disconnect is not just a fancy word for a breaker; it's a separate device used to de-energize equipment when servicing is needed. No more confusion, alright? In the MATERIALS section, we explore a variety of disconnecting means—main service disconnects, equipment-specific disconnects, and more. Surprisingly, breakers and even regular switches can act as disconnects if they're within sight of the equipment. 🛠️ Big shoutout to Schneider Electric for sponsoring this video and for their innovative VisiPacT Heavy Duty Safety Switches. The new VisiPacT Heavy Duty Safety Switch: First introduced in 1907, Square D™ brand safety switches have a long history of leadership in safety and performance. The new VisiPacT heavy-duty safety switch takes all the trusted features such as the switching mechanism and adds new, standard features such as a viewing window, hook stick handle, QR code for quick access to information, touch safe barriers, and more. For more in-depth info, hit up Schneider Electric's website: https://www.se.com/us/en/product-range/7273-heavy-duty-safety-switches-/#overview Up next is a hands-on DEMONSTRATION, where Dustin installs a VisiPacT Safety Switch. See how the pros do it! In the DID YOU KNOW section, travel back in time to the era of Fused Panels. Learn why circuit breakers, which came into the picture around the '60s, are a game-changer compared to fuses. ⏳ In the ELECTRICAL THEORY segment, brace yourselves. Here, we talk about what happens when you CAN'T shut the power off—spoiler, it's not pretty. Proper de-energizing mechanisms are not just a luxury; they're a necessity. ⚠️ Finally, we hit the CODE section, diving into NEC's 422.30: "A means shall be provided to simultaneously disconnect each appliance from all ungrounded conductors in accordance with the following sections of Part III. If an appliance is supplied by more than one branch circuit or feeder, these disconnecting means shall be grouped and identified as being the multiple disconnecting means for the appliance. Each disconnecting means shall simultaneously disconnect all ungrounded conductors that it controls." Remember, always stay up-to-code and double-check your work. Whether you're a seasoned electrician or someone keen to learn the ropes, this video's got something for you. Don't miss out! 🎥👷‍♂️ ⚡🔌 SPONSOR - SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC 🔌⚡ https://www.se.com/us/en/product-range/7273-heavy-duty-safety-switches-/#overview 🤘⚡️EU MEMBERSHIP⚡️🤘 Sign up here --- https://www.electricianu.com/electrician-u-membership/ JOIN ELECTRICIAN U - become a member and get: Premium Members-Only Videos Monthly Deep-Dive Courses All of our Practice Exams 300 Question Code Cannon Weekly Lesson Emailed to You Private Members-Only Discord Channel 🎓💡CONTINUING EDUCATION💡🎓 Sign up here --- https://www.electricianu.com/continuing-education/ State Approved Video Based ✍📝PRACTICE EXAMS📝✍ Sign up here --- https://www.electricianu.com/electrician-u-membership/ Timed Online Residential Wireman Exam Timed Online Journeyman Exam Timed Online Master Exam 300 Question Online Code Cannon (not timed) Take as many times as you want All of the above come with printable PDFs 🎤🎧PODCAST🎧🎤 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7ldCwdxhWnT0R3nne96XjC?si=a42a98b83c3549fc&nd=1 Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/electrician-u/id1583270265 📱👍SOCIALS👍📱 TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@electricianu Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/electrician_u/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TheElectricianU/ Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/r/ElectricianU/ Rumble - https://rumble.com/c/ElectricianU LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/electricianu 🎧🎹Music, Editing, and Videography by Drake Descant and Rob LeBlanc🎹🎧 #electrician #electrical #electricity #schneiderelectric #safetyswitch #visipact

Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB3jUEyCLRbCw7QED0vnXYg/join If you have been in the trades for any length of time (let’s say anything longer than one day!!), you will certainly have noticed the immense hatred between Electricians, Plumbers, and HVAC installers. Why is that? In todays episode of Electrician U, Dustin explains why this phenomenon takes place and a couple of items to mitigate the issue. 🤘⚡️MEMBERSHIP⚡️🤘 JOIN ELECTRICIAN U - become a member and get: FREE Continuing Education every year FREE Practice Exams FREE Monthly Video Courses FREE Weekly Live Instructor-Led Classes FREE Monthly Educational Newsletter Premium Members-Only Content Private Discord Channel Monthly Members-Only Discord Chats Sign up here --- https://www.electricianu.com/electrician-u-membership/ 🎧🎹MUSIC AND VIDEO:🎹🎧 https://www.facebook.com/descantmv 🎬✍️ART AND ILLUSTRATION:✍️🎬 https://www.daverussoart.com Now, lets preface our conversation by saying that maybe an Immense Hatred isn’t the right statement! Maybe a better one is a Strong Dislike. And this isn’t on every single job across the nation. It seems to be more prevalent on the smaller residential type projects. On the larger custom type homes and large commercial projects, the teams of workers generally tend to be much more in synch with each other and/or tend to get along with each other. Also, by hatred we don’t mean electricians are lurking around the corner hoping to inflict pain on the plumber/HVAC tech! We just mean that we generally just wish the other two trades weren’t currently on the project we are working on or that they would just leave each other’s work alone. Quite a bit of the animosity between the 3 trades comes from the act of building something itself. Let’s face it, there is A LOT of work going on in a compressed space. A LOT!! So many systems and so much material gets put into a small (relatively) space. Add to this that building schedules are getting shorter and shorter, leaving the trades even less time to put in more stuff! Of the three trades, electricians tend to be on the project the longest and have more work/materials into every single area of the project. While plumbers/HVAC certainly have a considerable amount of work to do, they can generally be in and out of a house being built within a few days and then come back at the end to trim the project out and test their systems. Electricians on the other hand, have so many systems (lighting, power, the smoke detectors/fire alarm stuff, audio/visual, etc.) and those systems are in EVERY room within the house. Wires must be run to EVERYTHING to link the items together also. In a perfect world, us electricians would rather the plumbers/HVAC show up and do their work and then leave, and then we would have the project to ourselves to install our work. Alone. But scheduling is the GC’s domain, and all the different trades must be choreographed in just such a manner so we are not just crawling over each other trying to install our work. But sometimes certain crews aren’t available on the most convenient days for the electrician. Not to mention that there is still the overall schedule to consider, and that generally cannot be pushed out (not without costing $$!). Respect (or lack of) for another trades work/tools/materials is another reason why there is much animosity between the trades. Borrowing (that is read as TAKING WITHOUT ASKING) ladders and not returning them promptly can be a frustration. And when they are given back, they are generally covered in HVAC mastic! Removing someone’s work to install your own is another problem. While this isn’t always a huge deal if done with respect, the problem is when another trade just destroys a can light to fit in their own work. Or someone just chops out our wire because it is in their way AND they don’t mention it to anyone. Simple respect would help tremendously here. If something needs to be moved, just ask us! Its much easier for us to move an offending piece of electrical equipment simply by uninstalling it as opposed to having to remove a destroyed piece of equipment or wait until the drywall is up and painted before we discover it! We hope this has helped to solve the riddle of why Electricians, Plumbers and HVAC techs have a strong dislike for one another. Is there a topic you would like to see discussed on Electrician U? Leave a comment in the comments section and let us know. Please continue to follow Dustin and Electrician U as we are constantly updating our content to assist our followers in becoming the best electricians that they can be.

The time has arrived for the results of the Holiday Giveaway 2022! In todays episode of Electrician U, Dustin will be announcing the winners of the giveaway. Listed below are the winners, along with the time stamp of when in the video your name is mentioned. Winners - email support@electricianu.com with your address so we can send these out to you. Double-check before you send, you wouldn't believe how many people mistype their own addresses and don't get packages. Contest Winners and time stamps: 3:21 - Joshua Mitchell 4:34 - Jzalva 5:37 - Owen Skurdal 7:18 - Brad Snow 9:24 - Colten Breaker 10:12 - Robert Rotelli 11:41 - Sunny Galli 12:24 - JanetteL 12:43 - Ryan McAllister 14:29 - Ryan Wilkes 15:41 - Derek Ortiz 17:12 - Trevor Wyatt 18:14 - IrishManDan0027 19:21 - AserA 20:15 - Epistemophiliac 22:16 - JacTheRipper87 24:29 - Angel Almanza 25:05 - Hellbound 1906 26:23 - Just'Sosaa 27:13 - Chris 29:03 - Fival West 31:10 - Tri-ing For Life 32:50 - Brody 33:27 - rRickyRhino 33:45 - David Salinas 34:23 - Tyler Frank 36:31 - sXeeD 37:49 - Thomas Luciano 38:38 - Joshua Vasquez 39:45 - Matthew 39:57 - Rewpert 40:19 - Reallunacy 41:10 - Tyler Loveland 43:20 - Jose Salinas Campillo 45:15 - James Ryan 46:10 - Andrew Griffith 46:25 - Michael Guppy 46:45 - Robert 47:01 - JL Game Design 47:21 - William Oro 47:39 - Good ol Sparky 48:19 - Michael R 48:35 - Dalton Turner 49:47 - Magdiel Basoco 50:09 - Skillet 50:19 - Gage Dykes 50:28 - Ryan Graham 50:43 - LXZmartinez2000 51:35 - DISCORD - undisputed_athlete 52:41 - DISCORD - Zombie Hedgehog 54:02 - DISCORD - elc2k 54:24 - DISCORD - Marko_jelec87 54:55 - DISCORD - Ladderman 🤘⚡️MEMBERSHIP⚡️🤘 JOIN ELECTRICIAN U - become a member and get: FREE Continuing Education every year FREE Practice Exams FREE Monthly Video Courses FREE Weekly Live Instructor-Led Classes FREE Monthly Educational Newsletter Premium Members-Only Content Private Discord Channel Monthly Members-Only Discord Chats Sign up here --- https://www.electricianu.com/electrician-u-membership/ 🎧🎹MUSIC AND VIDEO:🎹🎧 https://www.facebook.com/descantmv 🎬✍️ART AND ILLUSTRATION:✍️🎬 https://www.daverussoart.com If you are one of the winners, please email support@electricianu.com with your address so we can send these out to you. A big thank you to our sponsor, Klein Tools, for donating the items to be given away! And a big thank you to our followers as well! Without you, none of this would be possible! #electrician #electrical #electricity

Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB3jUEyCLRbCw7QED0vnXYg/join ⚡⚡SPONSOR: Schneider Electric - https://www.se.com/us⚡⚡ As we have mentioned before, as electricians, we work in an industry that is on the cutting edge of technology and is a constantly changing environment. In today’s episode of Electrician U, Dustin talks with the folks at Schneider Electric, at NECA 2022, about some of the new items that they are launching into the field. 🤘⚡️MEMBERSHIP⚡️🤘 JOIN ELECTRICIAN U - become a member and get: FREE Continuing Education every year FREE Practice Exams FREE Monthly Video Courses FREE Weekly Live Instructor-Led Classes FREE Monthly Educational Newsletter Premium Members-Only Content Private Discord Channel Monthly Members-Only Discord Chats Sign up here --- https://www.electricianu.com/electrician-u-membership/ 🎧🎹MUSIC AND VIDEO:🎹🎧 https://www.facebook.com/descantmv 🎬✍️ART AND ILLUSTRATION:✍️🎬 https://www.daverussoart.com First up is Schneiders Square D Easy UPS. First, lets discuss what a UPS is. Normally when you lose power to your building from the utility, there is (or can be) a generator/ATS that will fire up and transfer power until the utility comes back online. But what about that period of time from when the utility fails, and the generator comes fully online? THAT is where a UPS comes in. It essentially is a bank of batteries and some sensing equipment that will carry the load until the transfer happens from the generator. So, there is no loss of power at all! Some UPS are large enough to be able to handle the load WITHOUT a generator and can carry the load for a reasonable long period of time. There are a few great items that set Schneiders UPS apart from the standard UPS systems. First, it is centered around the customer/electrical contractor to have a more hands on approach to its design/purchase. You can select the functions/sizes you need and then just put it in for order! They also are much easier for the contractor to install and the owner to maintain. There is one box on the back side for all the line/load/grounding connections making installation a breeze. Additional battery banks are available if you have the need of a larger system. Schneider has also come up with meter/main panel. This new panel will replace the traditional need to set the meter separately then pipe over to your main panel. It is built with the 2020 code in mind and carries the necessary items to be code compliant. This encompasses the labeling on the outside for first responders to be able to locate the main and shut power off, barrier between the meter section and the load section, the barrier on the line side of the main breaker (so the layman doesn’t stick their hands where they shouldn’t!!), among many others. It is set up with the new style of plug on neutral bussing, which can also handle the requirement for a surge protector inside the panel. And to further better the panel, you can just swap the breaker out (on a 200a rated setup) if you needed to have a smaller breaker, thus negating the need to have several different types/ratings of panels. There is space to install their smart monitoring product WITHIN the panel, as well as room to install the necessary components to bring in generator back up or solar power. Schneider currently is manufacturing this for underground feeds only, but an overhead service type is being researched! A great product that will cut down on install time. Finally, Schneider has continued to refine their Flex Set style of switchboards. While these have been around for a couple of years now, they are now able to offer them up to 2500a! The idea of this product is a modular type set up that allows the electrical contractor to basically design/purchase the modular components to fit their specific needs and then assemble the components while maintaining the necessary UL Listings! This is something that will drastically cut down on our current lead time issues as factories are still severely behind in production of finished components. There are almost an endless variety of options for this newer style of gear from mains, secondary breakers, monitoring, etc. as well as a new style of bussing jumpers that allow the installation of multi section switchboards to be installed much faster and more efficiently! Looking forward to seeing more of this product in the future. We hope that this has been an insightful look into some of the new products being manufactured by Schneider. Is there a topic you would like to see a video for? Leave a comment in the comments section and let us know. Please continue to follow Dustin and Electrician U as we are constantly updating our content to assist our followers in becoming the best electricians that they can be.

Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB3jUEyCLRbCw7QED0vnXYg/join One of the cooler things about being an electrician is the amazing amount of technology we get to use. Also cool is being able to see and use new tools and materials that are constantly being developed to make our jobs more efficient and safer. In the latest episode of Electrician U, Dustin visits a few booths at the recent NECA show and shows off some of the items that are coming to market soon as well as advances by well established companies already working within the electrical industry! 🤘⚡️MEMBERSHIP⚡️🤘 JOIN ELECTRICIAN U - become a member and get: FREE Continuing Education every year FREE Practice Exams FREE Monthly Video Courses FREE Weekly Live Instructor-Led Classes FREE Monthly Educational Newsletter Premium Members-Only Content Private Discord Channel Monthly Members-Only Discord Chats Sign up here --- https://www.electricianu.com/electrician-u-membership/ 🎧🎹MUSIC AND VIDEO:🎹🎧 https://www.facebook.com/descantmv 🎬✍️ART AND ILLUSTRATION:✍️🎬 https://www.daverussoart.com Reciprocating saws are something that we use probably on a daily basis. A newer company called Spyder has developed a 3-sided recip saw blade that is awesome. In addition to the standard cutting edge on the bottom of the blade, they have patented the front AND the top side cutting edges. So, no more having to swap the blade around or the tool around to cut overhead or for bottom cuts. This will really improve efficiency for the user. In addition, their newer blades are made from a single piece of stamped steel (in lieu of the standard welded together pieces) which results in a stronger overall blade further improving performance and longevity. Super cool stuff indeed!! Milwaukee tools have been around for years and are definitely on the top tier of power tools. Their booth at NECA was showcasing the advances to their line of corded and cordless power tools. They have refined the anti-bind capability of their drills. The tool will automatically shut down in the event of quick torque/spinning that occurs when the tool binds when drilling thru a surface. This action can damage the users (us!!) wrists and arms. Milwaukee designers have advanced the tech within the tools to stop spinning earlier and with less moving action than other brands resulting in safer operation for the user. Among other new advances, they have also drastically improved the lighting for the cordless impact drills improving efficiency and safety. Fluke has been making outstanding meters for years. But they refuse to stay stagnant and are developing new meters constantly. As we step more into renewable power sources, Fluke has designed new meters to assist the electrician in installing them. They have a meter specifically to help with the installation of solar panels allowing for ground checks and polarity testing or the panels themselves as well as being able to test to see the DC outputs of the system as well. A meter specifically for EV car chargers is also available allowing the electrician to really fine tune those systems as well. Fluke is also continuing to improve existing meters. One of them has a visible continuity function that allows the user to SEE the level of continuity in a noisy environment in lieu of the standard audible only!! But the tech we see isn’t just limited to tools and materials. A company called Simplycount has developed a new software refines the ESTIMATING portion of the trade. This new software allows the user count devices by SYMBOL not just the text. Traditional estimating software uses text to search, but not ALL the devices on a drawing have text attached to them. It also allows the user to generate several different types of reports for verification, coding, review, etc. The software also can add color to any symbol and will save the marked-up version of the PDF to be able to be passed along to the field staff for easier, more efficient installation! There were also companies represented at NECA that were showcasing new Aluminum EMT (which will drastically improve performance due to lighter weight and easier bending) as well as new ways to package wire for easier/more efficient pulling. Keep your eyes and ears open for new tech as we head into the new year shortly!! We hope this has been insightful to some of the new things that are being designed for the future as well as some new items that are already available. Is there a topic you would like to see discussed on Electrician U? Leave a comment in the comments section and let us know. Please continue to follow Dustin and Electrician U as we are constantly adding new content to assist our followers in becoming the best electricians that they can be.

The electrical trade isn’t just strictly wiring things for a living. There are many facets and levels to it. In the latest episode of Electrician U, Dustin speaks to Master Electrician Chad German from Utah and Residential Wireman Matt Bergman from Texas about the different directions an electrician can go in the trade and where their careers have taken them. 🤘⚡️MEMBERSHIP⚡️🤘 JOIN ELECTRICIAN U - become a member and get: FREE Continuing Education every year FREE Practice Exams FREE Monthly Video Courses FREE Weekly Live Instructor-Led Classes FREE Monthly Educational Newsletter Premium Members-Only Content Private Discord Channel Monthly Members-Only Discord Chats Sign up here --- https://www.electricianu.com/electrician-u-membership/ 🎧🎹MUSIC AND VIDEO:🎹🎧 https://www.facebook.com/descantmv 🎬✍️ART AND ILLUSTRATION:✍️🎬 https://www.daverussoart.com Let’s face it. Electricians aren’t going to train themselves! Sure, there are pieces and parts one will excel at only by doing. But there are also many aspects of the trade that one must be shown how to do. As with many of us, Chad happened to be in the right place at the right time to step into training electricians. But honestly, Each and Every one of us who have been in the trade for any length of time, is at least a part time instructor. Whether its on the journey level (where you are showing the younger apprentices under you HOW things work and WHAT to do) to company/divisional leaders (where you may be showing seasoned trade veterans the nuances of higher-level leadership). One of the things to remember when teaching others is that we are all different individuals. We take things in at different speeds and levels of complexity. So, our teaching style should account for those differences. In other words, we need to learn our crowd and teach to those levels. Some are perfectly fine with just doing the work, but there are MANY individuals out there that want to excel to the highest levels of the trade and must be challenged! Repetition is how the bulk of the learning and refining of skills should be taught. But more than just showing the apprentice HOW to do the task, we should let THEM do, with the guidance of a more seasoned veteran. If someone is just a gopher (hey, go get this or go get that), they are not able to put their hands on the tools/materials/processes to really learn. Nothing wrong with showing them once, twice, or several times HOW to do, but then they should be allowed to DO the task! Licensing is another huge part of our beloved trade. By being able to demonstrate the skills you have learned at different stages of your career, and the ability to study and take an exam to prove it, is something that employers look for in their employees. It also shows that you are looking at the trade as a career, as opposed to just a job and willing to put the time and effort into yourself to become better. Whether it’s a residential wireman’s license, journeyman’s license, or a masters license, they are all steppingstones to bettering yourself! Having said that, licenses take time and aren’t handed out in some haphazard fashion. Each requires different time frames, but during that time you should keep your mind open, study hard, and listen to the veteran electrician’s advice and trade knowledge! Another thing to keep in mind is that the electrical trade is MUCH more than just wiring receptacles and switches. There are MANY different avenues one can take within the trade itself. Maybe you have a knack for researching, quantifying, and being super-efficient. Then maybe estimation is the right place for you. Or maybe you are good with figuring out what jobs need what manpower and moving people/tools around like chess pieces to make several project schedules. Then maybe a superintendent is the right answer for you. Linemen, residential wiremen, service technicians, controls technicians; the list goes on and on. Our trade is so vast, there is certainly a spot for almost anyone; you just have to look for it and find out what is best for you!! We hope this has been an insightful look into the different aspects of learning within the trade and where it can take you! Is there a topic you would like to see discussed on Electrician U? Leave a comment in the comment section and let us know. Pleas continue to follow Dustin and Electrician U as we are constantly updating our content to assist our followers in becoming the best electricians that they can be.

Most of us know Dustin as the witty, smart, and funny master electrician that shows us how things work in the electrical world. But what was Dustin like as an apprentice and how did he get his start. In the latest episode of Electrician U, Dustin talks about his early years as an electrician/apprentice. 🤘⚡️MEMBERSHIP⚡️🤘 JOIN ELECTRICIAN U - become a member and get: FREE Continuing Education every year FREE Practice Exams FREE Monthly Video Courses FREE Weekly Live Instructor-Led Classes FREE Monthly Educational Newsletter Premium Members-Only Content Private Discord Channel Monthly Members-Only Discord Chats Sign up here --- https://www.electricianu.com/electrician-u-membership/ 🎧🎹MUSIC AND VIDEO:🎹🎧 https://www.facebook.com/descantmv 🎬✍️ART AND ILLUSTRATION:✍️🎬 https://www.daverussoart.com Like many of us, Dustin’s career did not start off in the trades. He actually was working in the corporate world, but it just didn’t seem like the right fit. He started doing odd jobs with his dad as a handyman and was working at one of his dad’s friend’s house who happened to be an electrician. Questions were asked and an interview conducted, and Dustin was on his way to being an electrician! The same as this author, Dustin was intrigued by the enormity of the construction world and how raw it looked. Seeing huge homes and building sites and working in places that the normal population doesn’t really get to go into! And being paid to learn while you are working at something was a huge plus! He immediately fell in love with the trade and was hooked! His eager attitude to get things done showed up early, much to the chagrin of his journeymen, and he was forced to slow down and learn the way he was shown how to do the things he was being tasked with. Not in a bad way but just eager and full of gusto! Knowing Dustin, he is still full of gusto for the things that interest him! The company he was working for also did a fair amount of light commercial work, and over time Dustin added those commercial wiring skills to his repertoire. As for tools, just like the rest of us, he started off with a humble set of tools and worked his way up. Putting aside a small amount of each check and buying the tools he needed when he had saved up enough! Honestly, this is a great way for all apprentices to get the tools needed to perform their jobs. It teaches respect for your tools as its YOUR money being poured out! At some point he transitioned into commercial/light industrial service work. This is where Dustin really blossomed as an electrician. In lieu of showing up at a job site and pulling wire & making up boxes, this type of work actually forces one to use their brain and job knowledge. Most of service work is due to something not working when you are called out but must be working by the time you leave! You see many different ways of doing things because it could have been anyone who initially wired it! Electrical Code and Theory come into play as well to diagnose problems or plan for different situations. A person in the service end of the trade also must have a go getter type attitude as you generally are working alone (or in pairs at most) and must be willing to figure things out with minimal interaction from others. If there was one thing Dustin could go back and tell himself to do different, it would be to slow down and play the long game! Not saying physically but learn the fine line between speed and quality of installation. No one is ever the best right at the start. But you can learn to be the best by focusing on doing things the correct way, but also be willing to shift gears if needed to suit the job. Some jobs require flat out speed, while others require a slow and steady but meticulous installation. Knowing when to apply each one will make one a solid electrician. We hope this little jaunt down memory lane has been insightful into what it looks like to be an electrical apprentice and what it takes to be a great electrician. Is there a topic you would like to see discussed on Electrician U? Leave a comment in the comments section and let us know. Please continue to follow Dustin and Electrician U as we are constantly updating our content to assist our followers in becoming the best electricians that they can be.

In case you weren’t aware, the NECA show was in Austin Tx this year. Right in Dustin’s backyard! In the latest episode of Electrician U, Dustin is at the NECA show and talks with the guys from the Modern Electrician Podcast. Follow Modern Electrician here!! @modernelectricianpodcast2479 https://youtube.com/channel/UCnaJWV2QLYRnsIsaXcCK-Dw 🤘⚡️MEMBERSHIP⚡️🤘 JOIN ELECTRICIAN U - become a member and get: FREE Continuing Education every year FREE Practice Exams FREE Monthly Video Courses FREE Weekly Live Instructor-Led Classes FREE Monthly Educational Newsletter Premium Members-Only Content Private Discord Channel Monthly Members-Only Discord Chats Sign up here --- https://www.electricianu.com/electrician-u-membership/ 🎧🎹MUSIC AND VIDEO:🎹🎧 https://www.facebook.com/descantmv 🎬✍️ART AND ILLUSTRATION:✍️🎬 https://www.daverussoart.com Doug Powell and Josh Wright are the creators of the Modern Electrician Podcast; a trade-based podcast that discusses why us tradesmen (& women) do what we do and HOW we do what we do! While there are many trade-based/electrical podcasts available, the Modern Electrician podcast focuses on the culture of being a tradesperson and how we do our day to day lives. If you are looking for a departure from the standard trade podcast, take a listen to these guys! Definitely worth it!! The NECA show is chock full of vendors wanting to show off the newest gadgets, materials, processes, and advice. Something that those that are passionate about the trade and want to keep on the cutting edge should attend. Almost all the more popular vendors are present like Klein, Greenlee, Milwaukee, and others, but also some that maybe you have not heard of before but have been producing items for the electrical industry for years. If someone were to have the opportunity to go to a NECA show, I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed! New products are constantly being pumped into the market to make our lives, as tradespeople, easier. Milwaukee was showing off a new cordless stapler for NM cable. This tool targets the residential electrical contractors and provides not only an improved production capacity, but a safer one as well by eliminating the need to swing a hammer as much. Greenlee also had many tools available to look at including some larger hydraulic benders. Schneider Electric was showcasing a new battery back up systems for larger facilities that should cut down on lost time due to outages. Something to keep an eye on for sure! There was even a conduit manufacturer that has introduced a coating to their aluminum conduit. As those of us whom have installed aluminum conduit before are well aware, just pulling wire can be difficult due to the aluminum material itself. This new coating, however, makes the inside of the conduit very slick which cuts down on the drag, making pulling wire much easier! There was even a vendor that was talking about VR and the construction industry. Imagine having training in a virtual environment, where a new tradesperson can get repetitions in safely, before transitioning into the field. Products like these should help close the skills gap by roping in our younger generation using technology, which most young people do on a daily basis. Still in its infancy, I would definitely keep an eye on this type of technology as it will surely become more prominent in the near future. Dustin and his guests also talked about getting their masters licenses and some of the benefits and pitfalls about being an online creator. From a practical standpoint, you are going to get both good and bad reviews/comments from viewers. Not every action will work for each individual in every situation. But even bad criticism can be a learning tool on what NOT to do in the future. We hope this was an interesting view into the lives of different electricians from different venues meeting in a common place for the trades. Is there a topic you would like to see discussed on Electrician U? Leave a comment in the comments section and let us know. Please continue to follow Dustin and Electrician U as we are constantly updating our content to assist our followers in becoming the best electricians that they can be.

Most of us know what a motor is. But what about capacitors? And why would we need them to be on a motor? In the latest episode of Electrician U, Dustin answers discusses why we would need to have capacitors on our motors. 🤘⚡️MEMBERSHIP⚡️🤘 JOIN ELECTRICIAN U - become a member and get: FREE Continuing Education every year FREE Practice Exams FREE Monthly Video Courses FREE Weekly Live Instructor-Led Classes FREE Monthly Educational Newsletter Premium Members-Only Content Private Discord Channel Monthly Members-Only Discord Chats Sign up here --- https://www.electricianu.com/electrician-u-membership/ 🎧🎹MUSIC AND VIDEO:🎹🎧 https://www.facebook.com/descantmv 🎬✍️ART AND ILLUSTRATION:✍️🎬 https://www.daverussoart.com Capacitors for the most part are an energy storage device. They will charge up and store energy and then discharge when its needed. But why would we need that for a motor? To answer that, we need to understand how a motor starts when power is applied to it. If we had the leads for the motor connected and the motor poles are in line, the motor will turn until those points are no longer in line. But the power points are now out of sequence (in a sense) and the motor can no longer spin. What a capacitor does is provide a charge to bump those points so they are back in line and the applied voltage can cause them to spin again. There are also a couple of terms that we need to know when discussing capacitors. Those are inductive reactance and capacitive reactance. Inductive reactance is where the voltage is leading, and current is lagging. In capacitive reactance is where Current leads and Voltage lags. In essence, in an inductive circuit, the amount of magnetic energy keeps things so bound up that it slows down the current flow. However, the voltage is still churning away, but the current is lagging. In a capacitor, when discharged, the positive and negative are just randomly kind of hanging out together. But when charged, those positive charges group together, as do the negatives, in a much more orderly fashion, ready to be discharged to do their work. But with them being so far apart now, current cannot get thru, hence the current LAG in capacitive reactance! In essence, inductive and capacitive are just polar opposites of one another. In many motors there are actually 2 capacitors. A start capacitor and a run capacitor. The start capacitor is used to get the motor spinning as this usually requires a much larger push. Once the motor has taken off and churning along, then the run capacitor takes over. The run capacitor still provides the same function in keeping the motor shaft spinning when its not inline with the motor leads, just not as much is needed as the force of the shaft moving helps it along. Capacitors are also used to keep things from being so lopsided. They smooth the process out a bit. In lieu of there being such a large Voltage draw every other cycle, and none on the opposing, capacitors smooth that up and down action. This tends to make the process much smoother and less jerky! There are also other flavors of capacitors that provide both start AND run functions as well as capacitors that can provide either the Start or Run functions for multiple motors. We hope this has been an insightful look into inductive/capacitive reactance and why we need capacitors on motors. Is there a topic you would like to see discussed on Electrician U? Leave a comment in the comments section and let us know. Please continue to follow Dustin and Electrician U as we are constantly updating our content to assist our followers in becoming the best electricians that they can be!

At some point or another, as electricians, we are going to have to address the problem of voltage drop. But what is it, what can it do to our equipment, and how can we combat it? In the latest episode of Electrician U, Dustin explains voltage drop and how it works. 🤘⚡️MEMBERSHIP⚡️🤘 JOIN ELECTRICIAN U - become a member and get: FREE Continuing Education every year FREE Practice Exams FREE Monthly Video Courses FREE Weekly Live Instructor-Led Classes FREE Monthly Educational Newsletter Premium Members-Only Content Private Discord Channel Monthly Members-Only Discord Chats Sign up here --- https://www.electricianu.com/electrician-u-membership/ 🎧🎹MUSIC AND VIDEO:🎹🎧 https://www.facebook.com/descantmv 🎬✍️ART AND ILLUSTRATION:✍️🎬 https://www.daverussoart.com First let’s understand how it can work by relating it to water pressure. Think of a water faucet; if you turn DOWN the pressure (or have less pressure to start with), water will flow less as there is less pressure forcing it thru the pipe. Voltage drop works in much the same way! Next, we won’t necessarily REALIZE the issue until we apply a load to the circuit. In other words, we won’t notice we have an issue until we energize the circuit and attempt to have something work (motor, light, heater, etc.). The further we go (the longer the distance), the more voltage we will end up dropping. Also, we will see a bigger issue with voltage drop with smaller conductors. Lastly, there will be less voltage drop effect on a three-phase system than a single-phase system as a three-phase system is more efficient. Not much, but more efficient, nonetheless. What are some of the effects of voltage drop? Well, the three major types of items we would normally deal with operate a bit differently under voltage drop. Lights may flicker if a ballasted type of light like LED or Fluorescent, they may be much dimmer than they normally would be if incandescent, or they may not operate at all. Heating type loads will tend to not heat up as much as they should, if at all. Motors may heat up too much, burn up, or tend to just struggle to turn. We don’t want to figure out that we have a problem with voltage drop AFTER everything is installed and finished, so there are some formulas to use to see how much voltage drop we would experience. For single phase- 2 x K x I x D divided by CM. Three phase- 1.732 x K x I x D divided by CM. The difference between single phase and three phase is the efficiency in the system, although not much more! K will be dependent on conductor type. Use 12.9 for COPPER conductors or 21.2 for ALUMINUM conductors. I is the AMPERAGE of what you are attempting to use at the end of the run. D is the distance you are taking the circuit ONE WAY. To figure out what CM (circular mils) is, we need to know what SIZE of wire we are attempting to run. For that, Chapter 9 Table 8 in the NEC is where we would turn. The table shows us the circular mils size for all sizes of wire. So, in essence, after you crunch the number, you will have a BIG number divided by another BIG number! So, at first, it may seem like its too large, but once you divide it by that other large number it will come down! The resulting number after performing the calculation will be the number of volts LOST during that length of run with that size wire. To combat voltage drop, there are a few things we can do to lessen the effects. You could shorten the run. If outside in the dirt, you could run straight from point A to point B in lieu of following building lines. You could also RAISE the voltage of the system you are putting at the end of the circuit (if possible). So in lieu of 240v maybe see if a 480v system can work. This will give you MORE voltage to lose and may help. You could also INCREASE wire size so you will have a larger conductor, therefore a larger number to divide with (CM). You may also try to see if there is a more efficient (less amperage) piece of equipment as that will result in the number on the top being smaller! As far as the NEC goes, there are a couple of code articles that address Voltage Drop. Article 210.19(A) informational note 3 for Branch Circuits and 215.2(A) informational note for Feeders. In essence, they both allow 3% for either branch or feeders and no more than 5% for both combined. We hope this has been helpful in understanding voltage drop and how to combat it! Is there a topic you would like to see discussed? Leave a comment in the comment section and let us know. Please continue to follow Dustin and Electrician U as we are constantly adding new content to help our followers be the best electricians that they can be.

What is the point in having information if you can’t pass it along and help others? So, you have asked, Dustin answered!! In the latest episode of Electrician U, Dustin answers some of the questions yall have been asking him lately. 🤘⚡️MEMBERSHIP⚡️🤘 JOIN ELECTRICIAN U - become a member and get: FREE Continuing Education every year FREE Practice Exams FREE Monthly Video Courses FREE Weekly Live Instructor-Led Classes FREE Monthly Educational Newsletter Premium Members-Only Content Private Discord Channel Monthly Members-Only Discord Chats Sign up here --- https://www.electricianu.com/electrician-u-membership/ 🎧🎹MUSIC AND VIDEO:🎹🎧 https://www.facebook.com/descantmv 🎬✍️ART AND ILLUSTRATION:✍️🎬 https://www.daverussoart.com First up let’s discuss some questions from a recent video Dustin did regarding what to do if you don’t have a plan? One of our followers says “Lutron is trash. Cheap for profit”. Well, that is just one person’s opinions. As a whole, Lutron puts out many fine products that run through a wide range of applications and price ranges. Definitely worth looking into for a lighting control system. Keeping in mind that just because one person does not like something that it is automatically junk! It may be just different than they are used to using. It may also be that the person is pairing something against an upper-level manufacturer or model. Would be like comparing a ford truck to a Ferrari! Both are certainly nice, and both are useful, but both are distinctly different. Another viewer wrote a comment on the same topic stating “This is the GC Purview. That person is supposed to know the where, when, why, who of everything happening. Is this a normal situation. Stop working for this GC. They are not doing their job. Sooner or later, they will lead you to a very bad place”. First of all, it may NOT be the GC that is heading up the not having a plan issue. In many cases it is the customer. The one paying your bill! In addition, that customer may have a rough idea of what they want, and are expecting you, the professional, to come up with solutions/plans on your own. In fact, quite frequently in the commercial construction realm, there is something called design/build. This is where, again, the customer has loose design parameters and enlists the help of the contractors working the job to figure out the particulars. Usually, this type of work lends itself to the contractor being able to charge a premium rate for these services. Another writes “In looking at your videos- do you ever use a scope camera when troubleshooting? I keep one in the van, and it has paid for itself many times over. From fishing wires in walls to troubleshooting issues in inaccessible spaces to needing to see something that you can’t get into otherwise, it is well worth the expense. If you do have one, could you do a video on when to use it? Thanks in advance”. The simple answer to the overall question is yes, we do have more than one and Klein is the manufacturer. This type of equipment, while not cheap, is very helpful/necessary for the reasons you mention above, but primarily of most use to someone in the Electrical Service industry. There are so many specialized pieces of equipment that are very helpful to have from Meggers to Multimeters with many functions, to various types of lift type equipment to reach those hard to get to places. Each and every one is useful to have, but you must be selective in which you buy, or you will wind up with a lot of equipment and have spent a fortune to get it! To find out the answers to all the questions asked in this video, make sure and watch it all! We really appreciate the comments and questions! They all are very helpful in deciding what to actually make videos on. Is there a topic you would like to see or a question that you have you need answers to? Leave a comment in the section below. Please continue to follow Dustin and Electrician U as we are constantly adding new content to help our followers be the best electricians they can be! #customersquestions #lastminutecancellations #skilledtrades #lutronshades #electrician #electrical #electricity

Should I start an electrical business? A question we ask ourselves probably more than once! In today’s episode of Electrician U, Dustin answers a question from a follower about starting an electrical business with her boyfriend and gives some pros and cons of owning a business. 🤘⚡️MEMBERSHIP⚡️🤘 JOIN ELECTRICIAN U - become a member and get: FREE Continuing Education every year FREE Practice Exams FREE Monthly Video Courses FREE Weekly Live Instructor-Led Classes FREE Monthly Educational Newsletter Premium Members-Only Content Private Discord Channel Monthly Members-Only Discord Chats Sign up here --- https://www.electricianu.com/electrician-u-membership/ 🎧🎹MUSIC AND VIDEO:🎹🎧 https://www.facebook.com/descantmv 🎬✍️ART AND ILLUSTRATION:✍️🎬 https://www.daverussoart.com Starting a business is a great opportunity but can be fraught with challenges and disappointments. In fact, most businesses fail due to either not having the strength to keep pushing, financial issues, or poor work practices and no one wanted to buy what you were offering. Another reason could be a falling out between people involved in the business. Make sure that the person(s) you are starting a business with have known or been around each other a good amount of time. After the initial good times tend to plateau, those involved in a business need to be able to withstand the bad times that will surely arise. Especially if it is someone you are romantically involved with as the BUSINESS will need to honestly come first and that MAY not bode well for a romantic relationship with a person. There are so many decisions to be made and much (ok, all) of the free time wrapped up in making the business successful, it MAY not leave time enough for a relationship. And what if it doesn’t work out between two people? Who gets what? It can muddy the waters quite a bit, which is not necessarily good for either the business OR the relationship. Relationships aside, there are other considerations to be made when it comes to starting a business. First, understand that your bank account will be on a roller coaster. Money coming in and going out, sometimes not in the best ways! When it comes to finances, you also need to figure out what to charge. You should poll other businesses in your region and find out the going rate at a starting point. You must factor in what your expenses are (trucks, phones, buildings, etc. aren’t free!!) as well as what you want to make. If you are winning all the work you are bidding, chances are, you are not charging enough. On the inverse, if you are winning NONE of the work, chances are you are too high in your pricing. But remember, you are in business to MAKE money, not just lose it! Another point to remember is business credit. Ask local (and national) vendors for lines of credit. This will allow you to build your businesses credit up over time and can eventually lead to cheaper pricing overall if you buy enough volume from a vendor. This is crucial in winning work as the cheaper your expenses are, the less you have to charge, which should result in you winning more work. Money management is very important. For the most part, resist spending money on anything unless it is job specific (and you can charge for it) or its something to benefit the company itself. And even then, scrutinize it carefully and spend only if necessary. Frugality is king! If you weren’t normally going to buy it, then don’t buy it when that large check DOES finally come in! Trust me, that money will have no problems leaving your bank account without you helping it any!! This is especially true in the first year or two when you are trying to grow and nurture your new company. Another good tip is to not hire employees too soon. Wait as long as possible to bring someone else in. Reason being is you are now responsible for their well being and pay. And that money must come from somewhere, that somewhere usually being what you pay yourself as the business owner! So starting a business is definitely challenging, but can also be very rewarding! You are now able to work for something YOU own as opposed to someone else. Just make sure you really know who you are going into business with and have a good plan that considers both good times and bad. Have back up plans in place and watch your spending! We hope this has been insightful into some of the issues regarding starting a business. Is there a topic you would like to see discussed? Leave a comment in the comment section below and let us know. Please continue to follow Dustin and Electrician U as we are constantly adding new content to assist our followers in being the best they can be.

Running a crew, leading a whole jobsite, or even managing an entire company has a ton of moving parts and takes years of practice and refining to be successful. In this latest episode of Electrician U, Dustin shares his top tips for being the one in charge of the crew 🤘⚡️MEMBERSHIP⚡️🤘 JOIN ELECTRICIAN U - become a member and get: FREE Continuing Education every year FREE Practice Exams FREE Monthly Video Courses FREE Weekly Live Instructor-Led Classes FREE Monthly Educational Newsletter Premium Members-Only Content Private Discord Channel Monthly Members-Only Discord Chats Sign up here --- https://www.electricianu.com/electrician-u-membership/ 🎧🎹MUSIC AND VIDEO:🎹🎧 https://www.facebook.com/descantmv 🎬✍️ART AND ILLUSTRATION:✍️🎬 https://www.daverussoart.com The first thing to remember is that everything is on you! You are the one calling the shots and in charge of everything, so, good or bad, it all comes down to you. People are looking at you for direction and to have answers/direction and that includes customers. You will be the one coming in early, staying late, and working weekends to finish things up. The company, the work crews, and the customer all are expecting you to lead the charge and be ultimately accountable. Secondly, as a person in any management role, other employees are not going to care as much as you do! Nor should you expect them to. For the most part, your employees are there to make a paycheck to support themselves and their families. Period. Again, they would like to work Monday thru Friday and go home and forget their workweek!! They simply don’t have as much at stake as you do, so the drive that you have is not the same. If you expect them to care like you do, you are going to set yourself up for failure as a leader thinking those employees are rotten, when in actuality, it is your leadership style that may need to be tuned up a bit! It is your job to make everyone feel like they are doing a great job! You are the cheerleader. If you are constantly being negative with your employees, they will eventually just give up and probably leave. Some people work well with a bit of pressure applied, so you will have to learn each and every employee to see what makes them tick! But everyone needs to hear (frequency is dependent on the individual) that they are doing a great job. With the above tip about how much you care; this one is also where being a servant leader can reap benefits. If you can remember that YOU work for THEM and support them to be successful, you will most likely have better results! The same can be said for the inverse of the above! Its also your job to let them know when they are NOT doing a good job. But be tactful about it. Don’t attack their character, just fix the problem! If you just rip people apart on a personal level, they will be less inclined to admit mistakes. Frequency is also an issue. You will have better results if you are positively reacting to your employees and only come off the rails due to severity! Otherwise, they will just become immune to being chastised! Your employees also need to see YOU being the solid ROCK behind them, but also be adaptable and fluid. It depends on the situation but be the one who is calm in the storm. Everything can be fixed if broken or if something gets missed. But just be calm, solve the problem, and get it fixed. You must be able to shift gears and go in different directions. You are also the one to set the goals. Set goals that will push them, but not break them! Give your people something to strive for and grow. Not everyone will want that responsibility, so it will be dependent on the individual employee. Recognize both people who strive AND those that just DO!! Listen to those around you, regardless of your role. Be open to change and listen to others’ ideas. You may just be able to learn something new or a better way of doing something. Also, recognize them for their ideas so they will continue to think past the realm of normal! It is also beneficial to recognize when you are wrong or make mistakes. No one is perfect and you can drive your employees south if you carry that attitude of “its someone else’s mistake, not mine”. Be humble and own up to your mistakes. We hope this has been a helpful insight on how to carry yourself when you are the one in charge. Be humble and a servant leader who supports and recognizes everyone else. It will help the TEAM grow and be successful. Is there a topic you would like to see a video on? Leave a comment in the comment section and let us know! Please continue to subscribe to and follow Electrician U and Dustin as we are constantly adding new content to help our followers be the best that they can!!

Believe it or not, there are sequences in construction. If there were not, we would all end up building our own individual portion of the project at the same time or at random times and we would wind up having an awful mess on our hands (not to mention a complete train wreck of a project)! In this episode of Electrician U, Dustin digs into the different phases of building a house. 🤘⚡️MEMBERSHIP⚡️🤘 JOIN ELECTRICIAN U - become a member and get: FREE Continuing Education every year FREE Practice Exams FREE Monthly Video Courses FREE Weekly Live Instructor-Led Classes FREE Monthly Educational Newsletter Premium Members-Only Content Private Discord Channel Monthly Members-Only Discord Chats Sign up here --- https://www.electricianu.com/electrician-u-membership/ 🎧🎹MUSIC AND VIDEO:🎹🎧 https://www.facebook.com/descantmv 🎬✍️ART AND ILLUSTRATION:✍️🎬 https://www.daverussoart.com Before we start, there are a few things to discuss. For one, there are many (MANY!!) different phrase choices for the different phases, and these tend to vary from one location in the country to the other. So, for the purposes of this discussion, we will just talk in generalities, and you can adjust to where you are at to get the language just right! Also, while we ALL must work together to have a successful project, the different trades, and the different jobs Within each trade, will have more interest and interaction with the various phases of a construction job. A trim carpenter will most likely have no interaction with the site prep phase but will have a major part in the trim out phase. One of the first things we must do is get the site ready to accept the job. We will call this Site Prep. Dirt must be moved and leveled, trees and underbrush must be cleared, and sometimes access roads must be built to give us access to the site. For us electricians (or anyone in the MEP trades) this is where we put in our deep underground conduits, bring our utilities to the site, and put in any of our work in that needs to be put in the ground. Closely behind the site prep portion is the slab work. This is where the rebar is installed and tied, and the concrete slab is placed. As electricians, we also must be present here to install the smaller branch conduits, floor boxes, etc. that go into the slab as well as install our Ufer grounds. This is also the point where the temporary utilities are brought to the site to use during construction. Framing of the structure is the next phase of construction. Interior and exterior walls are framed, the roof is installed, and the building is dried in. This is the point where the MEP trades will do the rough in for their respective trades. Plumbing pipes are installed, ducts put in, and wiring is run. This is the process where it appears to have the most work done as you started off with just a slab of concrete and when done you have a building! As soon as those trades have finished, and their work is inspected (and passed!!) the drywall can be installed, and finishing can begin. During the finishing stages the typical sequence is drywall is hung, taped, and floated, then textured. Once texture is complete, then the cabinets, tile, trim wood, etc. are installed. Typically, this work is done before final paint as installing those finishes can result in scuffing up the walls a bit, so paint is left until after. After the paint is dry, the MEP trades are released to come in and install their respective trim out devices. For us electricians, this is where we put in the receptacles, switches, can light trims, surface ceiling fixtures, and things of that nature. Serious consideration must be given to the scheduling of the various trades at any one time so we aren’t working on top of each other (or at least as little as possible) so we can get our jobs done in a timely fashion. The last thing to be done once the trim has been placed is get the final inspection(s) for the project. A thorough run through the project is made by the inspector, and once he/she is satisfied that we have installed everything appropriately, they will release the project with a certificate of occupancy! Sometimes the sequences are a bit different, and some of the tasks will vary from project to project and location to location, but these steps are fairly typical of a standard project. We hope this has been insightful into the steps necessary to build a home. Is there a particular topic you would like to have discussed? Please leave some comments in the section below and let us know. Please continue to follow Dustin and Electrician U as we are constantly adding new content to assist our viewers in their careers!

While there are many aspects of the construction industry that are great, fun, and exciting, Burnout is NOT one of them. In this latest episode of Electrician U, Dustin talks about some of the things required of you to run a company and how those things can lead to Burnout. 🤘⚡️MEMBERSHIP⚡️🤘 JOIN ELECTRICIAN U - become a member and get: FREE Continuing Education every year FREE Practice Exams FREE Monthly Video Courses FREE Weekly Live Instructor-Led Classes FREE Monthly Educational Newsletter Premium Members-Only Content Private Discord Channel Monthly Members-Only Discord Chats Sign up here --- https://www.electricianu.com/electrician-u-membership/ 🎧🎹MUSIC AND VIDEO:🎹🎧 https://www.facebook.com/descantmv 🎬✍️ART AND ILLUSTRATION:✍️🎬 https://www.daverussoart.com There are many ways to get yourself into the burnout phase, but by far the most common would be overextending yourself by tackling too many tasks at one time. As a company owner, or anyone really that is involved in keeping a company running, one must constantly be straddling the line between a healthy and non-healthy work habits! That doesn’t mean that you can’t find a home life/work life balance. You can, but it is a very elusive beast that usually does NOT come into play until many years of sacrifice have been made. There are so many facets of a successful construction company (or any business for that matter) that go unseen to most people. There are people to be hired, customers to line up for work, emails, invoicing, bills, materials that need to be ordered, picked up, and distributed and the list keeps going on and on! So, with so many tasks, one could simply hire more people to take care of those tasks so one person wouldn’t have to do them all. Seems simple enough. But in doing so now that person (and their families) is relying on you to provide them with enough work to keep them busy and get paid. And the more people you have, the more people you must support. And that train goes round! Not saying that it isn’t worth it to be a successful business owner, you just have to understand that it WILL require much sacrifice from you (and those around you, namely your immediate family) and you may not reap the benefits or your hard work for some time. In other words, you must prepare yourself for the inevitable line of burnout that you will be walking. One of the first things to do when embarking on this journey is to ask yourself if its worth it to you. There will be many late nights, early mornings, weekends, missed events and so on. But if it is something that you truly enjoy doing, or something you feel that strongly about, then by all means, take it on! You will just have to steel yourself to push thru the tough times. But you will still have to make time to take care of yourself. If you flog it so hard, after a while, you will start to lose some of you (if that makes any sense at all!!). You may also become ineffective at what it is that you were trying to accomplish in the first place. You need to take care of your obligations, your people, and things like that, but one must take care of themselves too, at some point. But, having said that, as a business owner or business manager, you must find some time and make that time work. So, while it may not be the time you would like, use what you have. Whether its unwinding at the end of the day with a book for a few minutes, or watching a video on social media, or treating yourself to a cold drink after a hard day’s work. Whatever you can squeeze in there to help keep your sanity and make your hard work worthwhile. Just keep pushing thru it! Sometimes its just sitting and talking/venting to someone who understands and that you trust. Trust me, that helps a lot to verbalize things and get them off your chest! And then once you are done, then pick up and keep going on! Asking for help is another way to get some resolution to issues. If you don’t know HOW to accomplish something or WHEN or WHY, maybe someone you know WILL! But you don’t know that until you ask! We hope this has been insightful into the subject of burnout and what it may look like to run a company. We all have stories like this to tell. What are some of yours? We would love to hear them in the comment section below! Please continue to follow Dustin and Electrician U as we are constantly adding new content to enlighten our followers!

Single phase power and 3 phase power are terms we hear quite frequently in the electrical world. But what are the differences between them? In the latest episode of Electrician U, Dustin explains the differences and benefits to each in a never-ending pursuit to answer our followers’ questions. Check Out Legrand https://www.legrand.us/wiremold/rfba-floor-boxes 🤘⚡️MEMBERSHIP⚡️🤘 JOIN ELECTRICIAN U - become a member and get: FREE Continuing Education every year FREE Practice Exams FREE Monthly Video Courses FREE Monthly Educational Newsletter Premium Members-Only Content Private Discord Channel Monthly Members-Only Discord Chats Sign up here --- https://www.electricianu.com/electrician-u-membership/ 🎧🎹MUSIC AND VIDEO:🎹🎧 https://www.facebook.com/descantmv 🎬✍️ART AND ILLUSTRATION:✍️🎬 https://www.daverussoart.com Let’s start off by defining them. Single phase is referring to a single loop of current flow. One big loop! One can also think of single phase as two hots (typically A and B phase or Black and Red). Current is flowing TO the load on one wire (say the black wire) and returning TO the source on the other wire (say the red wire). They are also alternating back and forth between pulling and pushing the current flow. Try to conceptualize the sine wave chart. As one of the conductors is pushing the current (black), the other is pulling (red). Until they both get to the neutral (or zero point) where it begins to go the other way. Black will pull and red will push. Three-phase on the other hand is referring to 3 loops of current flow from 3 separate generating sources. Same type of general concept except that they are tied together. As before with single phase, current left on the black, travelled thru the load, and returned on the red. Here in three phase, current leaves on the black, travels thru the load, and returns on the red. However, that red ALSO happens to be powering the one side of its own generator as well that will leave on its red conductor and return on another conductor (blue). This blue is ALSO tied to ITS own generator that current will leave on the blue, travel thru the load, and return on the black, and we start the sequence all over again! So, they are all separate loops but tied together to form another loop so they can share the load amongst themselves. The terms Primary and Secondary also come into play here. Primary refers to the conductors on the side Feeding the transformer, Secondary refers to the conductors on the other side that will be utilized by us. Transformers operate by induction. When we push/pull current thru the transformer on the primary side of the coil, it induces movement of current on the other secondary coil (transformers have coils that are close to one another but not touching) and that current flow is what provides us the stepped down power we need. One of the big reasons WHY we would use 3-phase for some applications is due to efficiency. Remember our sine wave chart? On single phase, work is being done when the points are at their farthest distances apart from one another. But when they both come back to the zero point (at the same time, remember), there is no work being done at all as they are both at zero. On a 3-phase system, when one of the 3 phases is doing ALL the pushing, the pulling action on the other end is being shared equally by the other 2 phases. And that alternates between all three of the sets. So, on a sine wave chart, when one conductor is at its highest point, the other two are not exactly opposite of it because they are sharing the work. And, then THEY alternate also. So, at no point is anything sitting idle on a three phase, thus more efficient for larger scale type items like factories, plants, warehouses, etc. We can also get motors in either single phase or three-phase. Same type of concept and for the same reasons. Efficiency! The three-phase motors share the work among the three points of power. We hope this answers the age old question of the differences between single phase and three phase. Please continue to follow Dustin and Electrician U as we are constantly adding new content to bring clarity to the electrical trade! #electrician #electrical #electricity #

The term “Electrical Service” can be confusing for many electricians. What does it consist of? Why are there different sizes? Why do we have overhead and underground services? Where does the service start/stop and where does the building power take over? In the latest episode of Electrician U, Dustin answers several of these questions surrounding the topic. 🤘⚡️MEMBERSHIP⚡️🤘 JOIN ELECTRICIAN U - become a member and get: FREE Continuing Education every year FREE Practice Exams FREE Monthly Video Courses FREE Monthly Educational Newsletter Premium Members-Only Content Private Discord Channel Monthly Members-Only Discord Chats Sign up here --- https://www.electricianu.com/electrician-u-membership/ 🎧🎹MUSIC AND VIDEO:🎹🎧 https://www.facebook.com/descantmv 🎬✍️ART AND ILLUSTRATION:✍️🎬 https://www.daverussoart.com In the simplest terminology, the electrical service is the point at which power from the utility enters the residence/structure. Usually this takes the form of a utility transformer, which steps down the power to something we can use (say 120/208v or 277/480v). That transformer consists of a primary side (coming from the power generating station) and the secondary side (that which is at a much lower voltage) going to the building itself. As with all electrical circuits, each side of the transformer consists of a complete loop (or circuit) that allows the flow of electrons to return to its source. Different sizes of loads require different sizes of services. A house for example, since it is not large in size, will have a service from 125a to 200a, while a commercial building can have a service up in the thousands of amps depending on the size of the building and what’s being powered. Something to consider is the ground. Electrical services do not have a grounding conductor with them (normally). We derive the ground at the point of utilization. In other words, once the utility has brought power TO the structure, THEN we bond our neutral point to the earth so that a safe alternate grounding path is available for the circuit to return to its source and trip a breaker or blow a fuse. Most utility companies will disperse their power in three phase, dropping two of them off to be used at single phase installation (like a residence or smaller commercial space) and using all three phases at the larger commercial/industrial applications. Most residential power circuits do not require three phase to operate, so the utility doesn’t typically send three phase to residential neighborhoods. The commercial/industrial installations require three phase to be more efficient with all of the different items needed to make the building operate- lights, large and small motors, receptacles, equipment, etc. When it comes to grounding the system, there are 3 basic items to remember. The Grounding Electrode is the item used to connect the system to Earth- like a ground rod, or grounding plate, or Ufer ground. The Grounding Electrode Conductor physically connects the Grounding Electrode to the system, usually in the form of a wire. Without it, the system would have no way of being connected to the earth. The Equipment Grounding Conductor is what we would normally associate with the ground wire connecting our electrical equipment together. It is meant to bond all of our equipment together and leave everything with a safe alternate path of grounding. Overhead and underground services are available, and you will see both used frequently. While newer installations will put the service underground, the older ones you normally see overhead. Aesthetically, it is much more pleasing to the eye not having to see the overhead wires and poles, and technology/equipment have become much better in the recent era to allow us to dig them in. The meter itself is also considered part of the electrical service as this is where the utility can measure the amount of electricity being used and charge accordingly. #electrician #electrical #electricity 0:00 Introduction 1:15 ELECTRICAL SERVICE 4:53 SINGLE PHASE & THREE PHASE 15:20 OVERHEAD / UNDERGROUND 19:13 DIFFERENT SIZES OF SERVICES 24:31 DIFFERENT WIRE AND RACEWAYS

How do you price out a job that you are going to do? Certainly, a valid question as we don’t like to take on work and lose money!! In this episode, Dustin dives into this topic to shed some light on the subject. 🤘⚡️MEMBERSHIP⚡️🤘 JOIN ELECTRICIAN U - become a member and get: FREE Continuing Education every year FREE Practice Exams FREE Monthly Video Courses FREE Live Instructor-Led Classes FREE Monthly Educational Newsletter Premium Members-Only Content Private Discord Channel Monthly Members-Only Discord Chats Sign up here --- https://www.electricianu.com/electrician-u-membership/ 🎧🎹MUSIC AND VIDEO:🎹🎧 https://www.facebook.com/descantmv 🎬✍️ART AND ILLUSTRATION:✍️🎬 https://www.daverussoart.com 02:28 - 1 Time and Material Method. This is a great one to use if you don’t know what exactly you are getting yourself into! If something starts off small but has the potential to grow into a huge project, or there is a ton of troubleshooting or remodeling are great examples. In a nutshell, you are charging for your time it took you to do the work and the materials. Maybe the time for you to go get the materials also. It keeps the person doing the work from losing money by giving a cost up front that was too little for the unseen items or too high of a price for the person having the work done by giving a price that tries to account for EVERYTHING that you COULD encounter. 04:51 - 2 Cost Plus Method. This simply is coming up with the cost you THINK it will take to do the project and then adding in what you need to make as profit. This is most often used when you know the hours and materials it will take to perform the work and then you add what you want to make on top of paying all of your bills etc. 3. Square Foot Pricing. While normally used for new construction, this method uses information taken over time from the AREA that the work is being done in. So, say new homes in Austin Tx, on average, are being built for X dollars per square foot, with the electrical portion of that work being Y dollars. Then you just use that number per square foot, multiplied by the square foot of the project you are going to be estimating! 4. Task Based Pricing. A good one to use when just starting out, you simply charge per the task you are going to be doing and then can adjust a LITTLE BIT for being job specific. So, let’s say you come up with $60 to hang a light fixture- that covers the cost of all of your expenses and the time it takes to hang the light. Then adjust a bit if you need a taller ladder or if you have to move a bunch of their items out of the way or things like that. It can be a quick way to give a price but requires history in knowing how much you have made over time doing those types of things to be the most profitable. 5. Estimating Software. There are several different products that are available from a multitude of suppliers. Usually, larger companies use this method as the costs to own or lease the software can be high, as well as those companies needing very specific margins to be the most efficient. Typically, these software programs allow you to input your hourly rate, up to date pricing for materials, and an hourly time frame to install something. So, if you were estimating a project that wants 12 receptacles- the program would assign maybe an hour and a half (or whatever you set it at) times 12, then add the materials to install them, add something for fuel, vehicle maintenance, overhead, profit, and then says it would cost $X. A great system to use if you want to be as accurate as possible! A few things to keep in mind. First, trip charge. Your time shouldn’t be free. And if you are making multiple trips to a single place and not get the work in the long run, it could end up being a huge waste of money for you. The other thing to consider is minimum charges. What is the minimum amount of money you would be willing to make to show up and do work? If $50 was charged to just replace a switch, is it worth your time to do the running around, replace the switch, do the paperwork to get paid, etc.? More than likely a $150 minimum or $200 minimum would be better. If you only accepted the $50, all the time invested in making that $50 you would not be able to be somewhere else potentially making more money. #electrician #electrical #electricity

There are a lot of people out there discussing this whole neutral thing and it can be a little difficult to understand what is going on without being able to see what is happening. 🤘⚡️MEMBERSHIP⚡️🤘 JOIN ELECTRICIAN U - become a member and get: FREE Continuing Education every year FREE Practice Exams FREE Monthly Video Courses FREE Weekly Live Instructor-Led Classes FREE Monthly Educational Newsletter Premium Members-Only Content Private Discord Channel Monthly Members-Only Discord Chats Sign up here --- https://www.electricianu.com/electrician-u-membership/ 🎧🎹MUSIC AND VIDEO:🎹🎧 https://www.facebook.com/descantmv 🎬✍️ART AND ILLUSTRATION:✍️🎬 https://www.daverussoart.com Let’s start this off by stating yes, current does flow in a neutral. But there are times when it doesn't. To understand this we need to look at exactly where in the circuit we’re examining. If we are near a device, somewhere in a branch circuit, there will most likely be current flowing at that point. If we look further forward in the circuit, to the electrical panel, this is where things get interesting. If a panel is perfectly balanced, and we have 2 loads that we are looking at, then each of those branch circuits will have neutral current flowing throughout the entire branch(es). But the neutral from the electrical panel back up to the transformer, will not. When two loads are turned on, and are exactly the same, the neutral current can actually balance out and, in fact, cancel each other out. Neutral conductors from a panel back to a source will carry any imbalanced current that exists between any two phases on the system. #current #neutral #electricity 01:10 - Panel Drawing 03:50 - Conductor drawing 05:00 - Magnetic field examples 05:36 - moving on 06:00 - Example of current on a neutral 07:00 - Better analogy 07:57 - Why does current disappear? 10:00 - Field interaction cancellation 12:00 - Circuit Diagram view 15:00 - Math (Ohms Law) 18:25 - Jules law 20:40 - Bringing it all home.

Have you ever wondered how to add another switch across a room without having to run new wires? How about making a home smarter with smart receptacles? Dustin shows you how to do both with Legrand wireless switches and smart receptacles. Don't miss out on these smart upgrades. 🤘⚡️MEMBERSHIP⚡️🤘 JOIN ELECTRICIAN U - become a member and get: FREE Continuing Education every year FREE Practice Exams FREE Monthly Video Courses FREE Monthly Educational News Letter Premium Members-Only Content Private Discord Channel Monthly Members-Only Discord Chats Sign up here --- https://www.electricianu.com/ ✍️👨‍🎓LIVE CLASSES👨‍🎓✍️ https://www.electricianu.com/live-online-electrical-classes/ 👾🤖PRACTICE EXAMS🤖👾 https://electricianu.com/electrician-practice-exams-national-electrical-code/ 😎👕MERCH👕😎 https://electricianu.com/eu-merch/ 📲👥SOCIALS👥📲 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/electrician_u Discord - https://discord.gg/electricianu Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/theelectricianu Facebook Group - https://bit.ly/2tz7eQh TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/?electricianu Reddit- https://www.reddit.com/r/ElectricianU/ Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/electrician_u LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/company/electricianu 🎧🎹MUSIC AND VIDEO:🎹🎧 https://www.facebook.com/descantmv 🎬✍️ART AND ILLUSTRATION:✍️🎬 https://www.daverussoart.com #electrician #electrical #electricity

Give away winners do not need to be present.

$8000 Give away, Showing off the goods!

In today's episode of Electrician U we interview Chad German and talk education in UTAH, being a contractor, service worker, educator, and craftsman. Give the guy some love. Links where you can find him below: http://chadgerman.com/ https://instagram.com/utah_electrician https://www.facebook.com/cgelctricalconsulting https://youtube.com/channel/UCl_wPfwo2O31UNZ3f9cEmAg 🤘⚡️MEMBERSHIP⚡️🤘 JOIN ELECTRICIAN U - become a member and get: FREE Continuing Education every year FREE Practice Exams FREE Monthly Video Courses FREE Monthly Educational News Letter Premium Members-Only Content Private Discord Channel Monthly Members-Only Discord Chats Sign up here --- https://www.electricianu.com/ ✍️👨‍🎓LIVE CLASSES👨‍🎓✍️ https://www.electricianu.com/live-online-electrical-classes/ 👾🤖PRACTICE EXAMS🤖👾 https://electricianu.com/electrician-practice-exams-national-electrical-code/ 😎👕MERCH👕😎 https://electricianu.com/eu-merch/ 📲👥SOCIALS👥📲 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/electrician_u Discord - https://discord.gg/electricianu Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/theelectricianu Facebook Group - https://bit.ly/2tz7eQh TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/?electricianu Reddit- https://www.reddit.com/r/ElectricianU/ Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/electrician_u LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/company/electricianu 🎧🎹MUSIC AND VIDEO:🎹🎧 https://www.facebook.com/descantmv 🎬✍️ART AND ILLUSTRATION:✍️🎬 https://www.daverussoart.com #ElectricianU #Collaboration #Podcast

Interview with the one, the only. Mike, from Mike's tool shed : https://instagram.com/mikestoolreviews https://www.youtube.com/c/MikesToolShed 🤘⚡️MEMBERSHIP⚡️🤘 JOIN ELECTRICIAN U - become a member and get: FREE Continuing Education every year FREE Practice Exams FREE Monthly Video Courses FREE Monthly Educational News Letter Premium Members-Only Content Private Discord Channel Monthly Members-Only Discord Chats Sign up here --- https://www.electricianu.com/ ✍️👨‍🎓LIVE CLASSES👨‍🎓✍️ https://www.electricianu.com/live-online-electrical-classes/ 👾🤖PRACTICE EXAMS🤖👾 https://electricianu.com/electrician-practice-exams-national-electrical-code/ 😎👕MERCH👕😎 https://electricianu.com/eu-merch/ 📲👥SOCIALS👥📲 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/electrician_u Discord - https://discord.gg/electricianu Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/theelectricianu Facebook Group - https://bit.ly/2tz7eQh TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/?electricianu Reddit- https://www.reddit.com/r/ElectricianU/ Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/electrician_u LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/company/electricianu 🎧🎹MUSIC AND VIDEO:🎹🎧 https://www.facebook.com/descantmv 🎬✍️ART AND ILLUSTRATION:✍️🎬 https://www.daverussoart.com #collaboration #electrical #MikesToolShed