Greenhorn here, some advice for the new and dumb?

KingConan218 · Apr 8, 2021

Hey guys,

So I'm starting a new electrical job in 2 weeks with my friend who's the head of the company. So I'll be on the books but I don't know if it's a formal apprenticeship or not, but I don't mind since I just want to work and learn.

Anyways I have barely some experience with my last shop where I worked for about 9 months until COVID hit. I got laid off and didn't come back. Now I didn't learn much there because there just wasn't much work at all for the company, most of what I did do was actually telecom and low voltage. A lot was on my part because of personal things making it hard to learn. But I showed up everyday, on time, worked any overtime, showed them I wanted to learn and got along great with everyone.

So now my question is, what do you recommend I study up on before I start this new job? I really want to prep myself and show them that I can make them money. I think he does mostly residential while I did only commercial. I can bend 1/2" and 3/4" well enough, I just need to refresh. But what can I do to practice residential stuff at home? Buy some 2x4s and just box and bore?

Sorry for the long text, any help appreciated! Thank you

Dustydazzler · Apr 8, 2021

‘Residential’ is basically all timber frame ? If you can drill a straight hole in a bit of wood and run romex cables in neatly then you are good to go.
loads of stuff on YouTube showing rough in wiring etc

Megawatt · Apr 9, 2021

KingConan218 said:
Hey guys,

So I'm starting a new electrical job in 2 weeks with my friend who's the head of the company. So I'll be on the books but I don't know if it's a formal apprenticeship or not, but I don't mind since I just want to work and learn.

Anyways I have barely some experience with my last shop where I worked for about 9 months until COVID hit. I got laid off and didn't come back. Now I didn't learn much there because there just wasn't much work at all for the company, most of what I did do was actually telecom and low voltage. A lot was on my part because of personal things making it hard to learn. But I showed up everyday, on time, worked any overtime, showed them I wanted to learn and got along great with everyone.

So now my question is, what do you recommend I study up on before I start this new job? I really want to prep myself and show them that I can make them money. I think he does mostly residential while I did only commercial. I can bend 1/2" and 3/4" well enough, I just need to refresh. But what can I do to practice residential stuff at home? Buy some 2x4s and just box and bore?

Sorry for the long text, any help appreciated! Thank you

I think that you are worrying to much. In residential there is really not that much to learn. Learning to troubleshooting will be your biggest challenges. Wiring a new build can be learned, my suggestion is to buy. 2020 NEC code book and start reading from arrival 100-article 310 which has 65% of all electrical requirements in them articles. Good luck