Electrician U

Punching down and testing cat5 cables is something that a lot of people struggle with understanding so today I'm going to talk about what the various category cables are, how to decide if you need A or B configuration, and how to check your terminations with a tester when you're done.

I'm joined by Master Electrician Angel Savoy in this episode where we talk about a lot of issues surrounding women in the trades. This is probably my longest episode so strap in for the next 2 hours, this one is great.

This video covers everything you need to know about working with EMT (electrical metallic tubing) as an electrician. I cover the topics discussed in the national electric code article 358 on uses permitted, securing and supporting, and much more. This video is more of a code-overview of EMT, so let’s begin at the beginning of article 358 of the NEC with the uses permitted and not-permitted.

In this episode, I talk about the top 10 bits every electrician will use on job sites. There are many other bits not included in this video, but these are definitely the most used.

A lot of people get stuck working a job they hate, because they aren’t passionate about what they do, or are not driven to excel at their craft. Today we’re going to talk about what it means to be a craftsman and taking seriously the job that you do.

I get asked by LOADS of people whether or not they should quit their job and go to another company. I have a few things to say on the matter, so let's get into it.

It's amazing to get to talk to the "old-schoolers" in the trade because you get to hear stories about how things used to be, as well as how they've watched things change throughout the years. In this episode, I talk to Wayne about his years as an electrician, as well as being an inspector and instructor for a large portion of his career. He shares with us some of the changes he's seen in the electrical trade, including grounding and bonding language, equipotential bonding in pools, and electrical safety.

It's easy to talk about what it means to be a great crew-lead, but what most people don’t think about is what makes a good follower or helper.  This is really a deep methodology that takes wisdom and purpose to execute so let’s crack it open for a minute.

Since my first tool video I did a few years back, I’ve had so many people ask me for a more condensed list of tools that I would consider as the essentials for an apprentice to buy. This list is ONLY hand tools - not power tools like drills and saws. Here’s my top 13 list.

Most journeyman electricians end up leading jobs for the first time when they get their license, and for some it’s an overwhelming task that they feel is unmanageable. There are a lot of tips and tricks from the older leads that can be learned, and if taken seriously will make things a whole lot smoother.

Let’s face it…the national electric code book is probably the most difficult construction document to read and understand. It’s written like a court document in legalese, using terms none of us use in the field, for the sake of liability and C.Y.A. These are 11 more terms that are used in the NEC that I feel people struggle with understanding when they first buy a code book.

Doing math, for many people, is one of the things that holds them back from advancing in their career as an electrician.  “I’m just not good at math,” I often hear.  Knowing how to apply Ohm’s Law calculations in the field is crucial for your ability to think critically, on the fly, about what may be happening in a circuit - and electrician math is really not that scary.  Let’s dive in.

Let’s face it…the national electric code book is probably the most difficult construction document to read and understand. It’s written like a court document in legalese, using terms none of us use in the field, for the sake of liability and C.Y.A. These are 11 terms that are used in the NEC that I feel people struggle with understanding when they first buy a code book.

In this episode we talk in depth about how to wire with MC cable, what the uses permitted and uses NOT permitted are, as well as securing and strapping and a whole host of other tips for use.

Have you, like me...and many other electricians, been using NOALOX on your aluminum wires for years? We're going to go over why it's not necessary except in specific situations - 4 of them evidently.

Ugly's manuals are time-tested technician approved. Every electrician should have an Ugly's manual with them on every job site they're on, let's talk about some examples as to why.

The Kelvin Scale is used to talk about color of objects at certain temperatures, whereas other temperature scales deal with actual heat or thermal temperature. Kelvin is used in lighting especially for that reason, to talk about the color of light emission.

The Kelvin Scale is used to talk about color of objects at certain temperatures, whereas other temperature scales deal with actual heat or thermal temperature. Kelvin is used in lighting especially for that reason, to talk about the color of light emission.

The Kelvin Scale is used to talk about color of objects at certain temperatures, whereas other temperature scales deal with actual heat or thermal temperature. Kelvin is used in lighting especially for that reason, to talk about the color of light emission.

A relay is a type of electromagnetic switch, similar to a contactor, that can be controlled remotely with electricity, rather than needing manual input as a standard switch would.

A lot of people still use wattage to talk about the brightness of lamps, when in reality lumens are the measure of light output. Wattage is still useful to know as an electrician, but we need to stop using it to talk about the BRIGHTNESS of a light.

There are so many different types of lamps out there that having an understanding of the "lamp families" helps you understand how to troubleshoot them easier. Let's dive in.

A lot of people get really confused by contactors and relays and tend to treat them like some kind of mystical magic device without understanding what exactly they do. They have some similarities but still have very distinct differences.

A lot of apprentices (and journeymen) have trouble understanding what makes HID lighting any different than regular lighting so troubleshooting them can be a bit confusing.  Let's talk about it!

It’s an electricians job to be able to identify what’s going on in an electrical circuit, and sometimes this can be a difficult task. Having a firm knowledge of how to use various pieces of electrical test equipment can be the difference in solving a problem and making a guess. In this episode, I cover all of the pieces of test equipment I believe an electrician should know how to use.

Many up-and-coming electricians have trouble understanding how to use the various electrical testers out on the market. All of the dials, characters, and options can get a bit confusing if you don’t have experience using a multi-meter. In this episode, I talk about how to use a commonly used tester, the Fluke T5-600.

Someone recently asked me if there’s a way to bend PVC conduit or if someone makes a bender or a tool to get a proper bend. In this episode we’re going to cover how I do it.

My dudes, I really need help figuring out what to do with my storage situtation. I keep losing terrabytes of data everytime my RAID 5 crashes, and it happens often. Any of you tech gurus out there PLEASE HELP!

This is my, no-doubt, my most asked for topic to do an episode. “Do an episode on bending conduit” they say….”It’ll be fun” they say… Well my friends, strap in, here we go….

Products Used In This Video:3-amp Lutron Maestro Occupancy SensorDewalt 20v Brushless Cordless Impact DrillKlein 6-in-1 Multi-bit Screwdriver

In this episode I talk about the various fault detecting devices on the market in use in most modern residences. Chiefly Arc Fault and Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters. 

Electrical power is often expressed in two units, Watts and VA.  Wattage and Volt-Amps rather, get misused because many people do not understand the differences in them and when they should be used.  In this episode I break down the differences in the two terms and how they relate to one-another in the electrical industry.

Resistance is one of the most crucial aspects of an electrical circuit.  Along with Voltage and Amperes, Resistance plays a major role in how a circuit operates.

A lot of green apprentice electricians ask about how panels work, and more specifically what the roll of the circuit breaker is.  Some guys think that breakers "put out" electricity, or that they "send" a certain amount of amperage to a load from the panel.  This is not how it works.

Electric current is one of the hardest things to wrap your head around when you're first getting into the electrical trade. Many apprentice electricians get confused with the difference between current and amps. Well, that's because people talk about electrons and charges and interchange the terms without really knowing what the difference is.

Automatic circuits work on the philosophy that some external/automatic switch turns power on and off to a circuit.  This can be a photocell or timeclock that controls a set of relays or contactors which allow or disallow current to flow in a circuit.

In order for electricity to work, there has to be movement.  Static electricity still needs movement to occur in order to discharge and equalize charges.  The only way that movement becomes useful is once there is a difference of potential present.  That is what voltage is all about.

For those of us that are more visual learners, I've made this show one that can be followed visually.  In this episode I draw out on the white-board how switch loops work, and how to wire them.

This episode is something a lot of green apprentices need to watch.  Switch-loops are very difficult to grasp when you're new to the trade, and in this show I break down how to install and wire for these bad boys.

This episode goes further in depth on how 3-way and 4-way switches work.  This is for those visual learners out there that need the logic drawn out so they can see the whole circuit in front of them.

In this episode I take apart a 3-way and 4-way switch and talk about how they work on the inside.

This episode is all about breakers, from the outside-in.  I cover the differences between single-pole, two-pole, and 3-pole breakers. I talk about how a breaker is a simple spring-held mechanical switch that operates by an internal electromagnet.

In this video I talk about how to wire for and install 4-way switches.  4-ways are very similar to 3-ways, and in fact you use (2) 3-way switches in a 4-way setup.

Well everyone....the time is here! I'm in New York City for this year's #THDProSpective tool event and I'm about to find out what tool manufacturers will be sending me over the next year to test, review, and give away!

In this episode I talk about how to wire and install 3 way switches and California (illegal or dead-end) 3ways.

In this episode I rip open a standard receptacle and a decor single-pole switch to reveal how each of these electrical devices works.

In this episode I talk about how to install an electrical plug-in receptacle.  Plugs are pretty day one helper stuff, but I talk about some methods of twisting joints, using strippers, cutting sheathing, and mounting the devices that maybe some teachers out there don't use. 

This episode covers the basics of installing an electrical switch.  I cover mounting boxes, drilling holes, running 12/2 romex from a power source to a new switch box.  From that switch box I install another piece of 12/2 romex to a light above.  After wiring and rough-in I install a decor single-pole 15a switch and a keyless fixture with a lightbulb.

If you're about to start your career as an electrician but don't have a clue what tools you need, feel free to consult this list.  In this video I talk about all of the tools that I deem necessary to start your career with.  There will be endless tools that you will buy through the years but these are the basics that every apprentice electrician needs.

Welcome friends!  In this episode we talk about the many different types of electrical testing equipment that electricians use daily.  This is a list of the multi-meters and electrical testers that I use, as an electrician, most often.  We cover, plug testers, non contact voltage testers, toners, multi-meters, amp clamp and ammeters, continuity, amperage, voltage, capacitance, and resistance.  If you're looking to buy a new tester or just don't know where to begin, this episode is a great place to start. 

Welcome to Electrician U!  Electrical Wizardry taught by an electrician, to electricians!  No more having to suffer through engineering and physics lectures to try to gain insight on how electricity works, and which components do what.