So who are electricians?

[starspark]

I tend to mix between this forum and the iet forum. Although more time has been spent in this forum recenlty as a couple of my work mates are starting to contribute more

One being myself and the other is elrobbo however he vehemenently denies this for some reason!!

I am an Approved electrician of 12 years went to college with RMS and ended up at the same company many years later!

Where he became my boss and a wonderful one at that

 

[ericmark]

OK not reading other replies I will answer as to myself.
originally trained as a motor mechanic
Moved sidewards to auto electrician including getting the C&G required
Moved to working on submersible pumps and traffic lights
Worked abroad and started working on other 230/400 volt equipment
Returned UK back to auto electrics plus some mains work
Abroad again and more mains work including crushing plants etc.
Returned UK again mixture mains and auto work plus some radio work
Moved to be total mains installation and maintenance on major power station Sizewell.
Returned mixture of mains and auto on seven bridge contract
Total mains installation point of Ayr gas terminal
Total mains plus returning to stress and pre-heating Connah's Quay power station.
Abroad again working on tunnel boring machine 10Kv etc
Returned UK Pharmaceuticals maintenance of machines.
Electrical engineer advising on safety installations for North West Water
From this point no more auto electrics or mechanical work
Did course on 2391 but left firm to work in Belfast on ship building
Returned to Wales and became electrical engineer with a concrete pressing firm heavy into PLC control
Moved to toiletries again loads of PLC control
Heathrow airport T5 looking after batching plant again forth contract with Laing
Took my degree in electrical engineering
retired
Took 2382
In between that I worked for many small firms with all sorts from house bashing to major car building plants including Vaxhalls and Toyota.
I hold 2391 and 2382
So anyone going to offer me a job?
Swapped positions many times would be the basic electrician on one job the on moving I would find the foreman on last job was my subordinate on next.
PLC's were major turning point seems few can program them at least to the 2000 step program I designed for the concrete presses.
But a major industrial accident cut it all short my right hand has been recycled.
So now I'll read other replies.

 

[echoes]

Ex-electronic engineer with degrees in Electrical & Electronic Eng. & III-V semiconductors.
Now a self-employed software engineer.

 

[JohnW2]

I am an electrican...

Thanks.

I I find Ban All Sheds and Westie very entertaining. "in a good way".

I never thought I'd hear those two being mentioned in the same breath - but, yes, they're both entertaining, albeit in utterly different ways

Kind Regards, John.

 

[JohnW2]

Who sir? Me sir? No not guilty!

No westie, I don't think anyone here has ever thought of accusing you of being 'an electrician'

Kind Regards, John

 

[yorkspark]

Commercial electrician (hotels mainly) for nearly 20 years also do data / fibre installs alongside telecoms and fire alarms / emergency lighting for same hotels.
Also do the odd bit of domestic if so required!!

 

[JohnW2]

I'm neither a fully qualified and registered sparks, nor a clueless DIYer.

Thanks. As you say, another grey area, and an interesting background.

I confess that I have done one or two things to my own house that really should have been notified, and I'm aware that its naughty. I would never be foolish enough to think that I know it all, but frankly when it comes to my own house, I'd rather DIY than employ a "five day wonder" domestic installer. I shall now put on my PPE and await a flaming for that last paragraph....

I may need to borrow or share that PPE ....

...albeit a good few years ago, the last 'qualified' electrician who was in my house (professionally, not socially) was the one (previously mentioned in this forum) who told me that, because it's a very large house with long cable runs, I really ought to put an RCD close to an electric shower (and various other things) because "by the time any fault current got back to the CU, it would have diminished to a level that might well not operate the RCD"! That totally confirmed my view that I was happier trusting the safety of myself and my family to my DIY skills!

Kind Regards, John.

 

[JohnW2]

OK not reading other replies I will answer as to myself.

Thanks. A very interesting career.

Kind Regards, John.

 

[JohnW2]

Ex-electronic engineer with degrees in Electrical & Electronic Eng. & III-V semiconductors. Now a self-employed software engineer.

Thanks. I'm not sure whether it is a compliment or an insult, but you are one of those about whom I was not sure!

Kind Regards, John

 

[RMS]

ericmark, very impressive!

 

[Adam_151]

I'm a relativly young electrician who nearly wasn't.. left school after doing A levels in computing and electronics (and maths and physics, but didn't do very well in those), nearly went to university, but decided its not what I really wanted to do

So instead went to college got my C&Gs, got in with a local contractor as an improver worked on domestic, commerical and industrial, got 2391 pretty early on, soon picked up the art of commerical and industrial PIRs from the guys I was working with.

I&T of existing and new installations now makes up a fair percentage of my workload, along with a bit of maintence[inc. out of hours call outs] to break it up (as I would go mad otherwise!), along with some design work, acting as unofficial technical contact for on site guys if they need another opinion on something, I'll even install stuff occasionly

I now look forward to the jobs where I get to get the conduit bender out... the easy life of wandering around a site with a loop tester around your neck, clipboard under your arm and ballpoint pen behind your ear soon looses its appeal!

Want to try and go along the HNC/HND route sometime in the next few years

 

[Wontdothatagain]

Employed electrician, mainly install dairy equipment but a lot of other comercial stuff as well. Thought i was good enougth fot 2391 but reality hit when i tried a few mock exams, working hard on PIR's now.

Our company also have a contract fitting smart meters, so i travel arround a lot doing that. DNO authorised to enter cutouts

 

[RF Lighting]

I have done a mix of all types of contracting. I spent a lot of my apprenticeship doing schools maintenence, installing IT suites, and factory maintenence with some domestic work to.

I then moved to another firm doing mainly commercial contracting, including pub fitting, factory installs, machine repairs, commercial PIRs, fire alarms, some domestic landlords repairs and occasional rewiring too.

I spent the last four years working for a specialist theatre contractor, before finally taking the leap into self employment.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

elrobbo82 do I know you? Are you not the one that I have seen working with RMS and starspark?

 

[Adam_151]

before finally taking the leap into self employment.

How are you finding that rob, you managing to get a fair bit of commericial/industrial work?

I ask as I know a lot of clients now want all sorts of accrediatations, complaiances, etc that don't really lend themselves to the self employed guy due to the burden of paper work involved!