I think I'll mostly agree with tony here even though I'm from a more installation based background.
the amount of electricians I come across , who think putting a few nuts and bolts on a bit cable tray is where it's at over the years has been frightening.
ask them how any of it works and the blank faces tell me all I need to know.
to me , of you are an electrician it's part of your job to know how whatever system you install is meant to work correctly.
otherwise how are you ever going to fault find it?sub the work out to somebody that does?
when one of the plants we used to work on closed the maintenance guy who was a mate of my old gaffers came for a job for a while.
real nice old guy with a vast knowledge of motors and process control.
he was no good at general contracting/ jobbing work as he was far too slow and over thought everything.
all the old boys I worked with had a healthy respect for his skills though and would help him out if needed.
i think my gaffer got him a job in plant maintenance somewhere more suite to his skills.
the ability to go on a job you have never been on and work out a general plan off attack quickly is not one to underestimate. It's not taught in college btw.
 
Installation lads just follow a drawing without knowing how anything works. When it doesn’t work, who has to sort the mess out?

Commissioning and fault finding are an integral part of maintenance work.

As for vast experience, a trained monkey could do the job.

Sorry Tony and Eng, I don't agree. Trained money!!!, NO that is not the way, so you think installation Electricians don.t fault find and commission their work. I have worked at many hospital's in me time, and the so called maintenance sparky's were all sitting in their little workshop/ stores drinking tea and changing a few lamps and fittings. (or cleaning). Me at the front end doing the real work.As for factory's production etc, can't say, only that one firm I worked for had the contract for metal box (tin caned factory), maintained the production line, the boys on that said it was a douse. lol
 
Sorry Tony and Eng, I don't agree. Trained money!!!, NO that is not the way, so you think installation Electricians don.t fault find and commission their work. I have worked at many hospital's in me time, and the so called maintenance sparky's were all sitting in their little workshop/ stores drinking tea and changing a few lamps and fittings. (or cleaning). Me at the front end doing the real work.As for factory's production etc, can't say, only that one firm I worked for had the contract for metal box (tin caned factory), maintained the production line, the boys on that said it was a douse. lol
hospitals sparkirs are not industrial maintinence.

most are bone idle
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
Sorry Tony and Eng, I don't agree. Trained money!!!, NO that is not the way, so you think installation Electricians don.t fault find and commission their work. I have worked at many hospital's in me time, and the so called maintenance sparky's were all sitting in their little workshop/ stores drinking tea and changing a few lamps and fittings. (or cleaning). Me at the front end doing the real work.As for factory's production etc, can't say, only that one firm I worked for had the contract for metal box (tin caned factory), maintained the production line, the boys on that said it was a douse. lol


A hospital is just a good quality distribution system with a few bits added.
You don’t know how the equipment works. Because of that you can’t fault find on it other than the basics.

What’s your knowledge like on instrumentation, hydraulics and pneumatics?

Could you work on a chemical plant were all the equipment is bespoke. You can’t call anyone in to help out as the only people who know how the process works are the company men.

Could you deal with thermal run away in a process, a major power outage that puts life in danger due to the process becoming unstable, I doubt it.

Can you work on MV switchgear and cables other than just put them in place?



Come on admit it, you’re just a cable monkey. The bain of my life for years!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
Cable monkey it is then. lol Horse's for course's.
 
A hospital is just a good quality distribution system with a few bits added.
You don’t know how the equipment works. Because of that you can’t fault find on it other than the basics.

What’s your knowledge like on instrumentation, hydraulics and pneumatics?

Could you work on a chemical plant were all the equipment is bespoke. You can’t call anyone in to help out as the only people who know how the process works are the company men.

Could you deal with thermal run away in a process, a major power outage that puts life in danger due to the process becoming unstable, I doubt it.

Can you work on MV switchgear and cables other than just put them in place?



Come on admit it, you’re just a cable monkey. The bain of my life for years!

Cable Monkey, that's a new one must file that away for the future
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
Cable Monkey, that's a new one must file that away for the future

Yeah, and I reckon he has disrespected about 70 to 80% of the members on here.!!
 
So if were all a bunch of "cable monkeys" that are clearly way below your stature, why do you spend so much of your time on this forum?
 
cable-monkey-cute-shape-cable-organizer.jpg


:D
 
  • Like
Reactions: 4 people
A hospital is just a good quality distribution system with a few bits added.
You don’t know how the equipment works. Because of that you can’t fault find on it other than the basics.

What’s your knowledge like on instrumentation, hydraulics and pneumatics?

Could you work on a chemical plant were all the equipment is bespoke. You can’t call anyone in to help out as the only people who know how the process works are the company men.

Could you deal with thermal run away in a process, a major power outage that puts life in danger due to the process becoming unstable, I doubt it.

Can you work on MV switchgear and cables other than just put them in place?



Come on admit it, you’re just a cable monkey. The bain of my life for years!

My name is Aiden, and I'm a cable monkey :-)
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 people
Sorry Tony and Eng, I don't agree. Trained money!!!, NO that is not the way, so you think installation Electricians don.t fault find and commission their work. I have worked at many hospital's in me time, and the so called maintenance sparky's were all sitting in their little workshop/ stores drinking tea and changing a few lamps and fittings. (or cleaning). Me at the front end doing the real work.As for factory's production etc, can't say, only that one firm I worked for had the contract for metal box (tin caned factory), maintained the production line, the boys on that said it was a douse. lol


Read my last post above with regards to Hospital maintenance!!

I don't think you have much of a clue when it comes to what a real industrial maintenance electrician is all about. Most need an HNC these days to even get a start. It's always a douse as you call it when everything is working correctly, the problem comes when it stops working and the installation electrician that is sent by the outside contractor to fix it, hasn't got a Scooby doo as to even know where to look, let alone know what's wrong with the plant....
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
Just noticed, the post i wrote on the magnitude of the various hospital services and maintenance has just disappeared!!!!
 

Similar threads

OFFICIAL SPONSORS

Electrical Goods - Electrical Tools - Brand Names Electrician Courses Green Electrical Goods PCB Way Electric Underfloor Heating Electrician Courses Heating 2 Go Electrician Workwear Supplier
These Official Forum Sponsors May Provide Discounts to Regular Forum Members - If you would like to sponsor us then CLICK HERE and post a thread with who you are, and we'll send you some stats etc

Advert

Daily, weekly or monthly email

Thread starter

Pete999

Arms
Supporter
~
Joined
Location
Northampton
If you're a qualified, trainee, or retired electrician - Which country is it that your work will be / is / was aimed at?
United Kingdom
What type of forum member are you?
Retired Electrician
Business Name
None

Thread Information

Title
Contracting versus Maintenance Electricians and on into the future
Prefix
N/A
Forum
UK Electrical Forum
Start date
Last reply date
Replies
38

Advert

Thread statistics

Created
Pete999,
Last reply from
Engineer54,
Replies
38
Views
3,526

Advert