10: SURPRISE! When power is disconnected, it's sometimes done by just pulling the meter. The house feed (bottom line here) is cold; the mains stay hot. It's nothing much - 220v nominal in the US- but enough to give you a shock if you short it. Power co does, sometimes, cut power at or even to the transformer, but that's more often done where someone is bridging the meter. For an unoccupied house, a meter pull is usually enough. Check your copper for power before stealing.....
#10 reminds me of a story. I joined local 969, inside electricians. Mostly because they had a better education program than the non-union guys and I figured I'd put up with their socialism for a bit without problem. And the apprenticeship director told me about an apprentice who'd been fired. As part of the discussion about what it took to get fired, you see. He was fired for repeated safety violations, about three years before I joined.
Turns out he'd been told to find a different line of work, because he'd get killed if he stayed an electrician. He got a job an an apprentice electrician with a non-union shop, and was dead about six months later. He got there early in the morning, and decided to show how much of a go-getter he was be getting started. Went to the ditch they'd dug where they were removing existing cable, and cut it. It was still live. And shortly afterwards, he wasn't.
Of course, I'm still not entirely sure if said apprenticeship director wasn't feeding me a bill of goods, but it still makes a great story, IMHO.
His name is Spurgle - that's Mr. Spurgle to you, Sir, and as noted, chaos and destruction follow him. However, he usually seems to survive it with others paying the cost.
Well, 'Spurgle' doesn't seem dignified enough to be attached to this nugget, so I'm going with Steve Sky. I always like to give attribution to authors when I quote them.
#1 - I remember refrigerators before "frost free". My mom used a hair dryer to defrost, and back then, hair dryers were quite different. I remember metal lever-action ice cube trays too. #3 - What is it? Crown? - jed
I remember "refrigerators" when the guy used to bring us a large chunk of ice with the tongs over his back from his horse-drawn wagon - this was in NYC in the mid '40s.
My grandfather had a truck and a small boat he ran an ice route with. He along with my dad and his 2 brothers would deliver for the iceboxes of those days JD
My next door neighbor asked the landlord to install a security light. He went into the garage, found a likely spot, and drilled through the wall for the power wire. He hit the feed on the outside wall. I heard a loud buzz and my lights dimmed since we're on the same transformer. I went outside to see what happened and he was standing there with a dazed look on his face. He was holding a cheap plastic cordless drill. It probably saved his life. It cost him around $10,000 to get it repaired since the service had to be upgraded to current code.
#8. To be fair, that’s exactly why those trucks exist. For the construction crew it’s just a mild annoyance. For the driver it’s a totaled little scootey car, but look like he’ll walk away so I can’t feel bad for him.
1 Make sure your freezer door is fully closed. 9. She's been working hard all day making that crock pot dinner for hubby, now it's ruined 10. Isn't lead in aluminum anyway?
10. No, but it is in brass, or it was until a few years ago. Brass couldn't be machined without lead until a method and tools to machine it without lead was developed.
Yes, that lead-in and the triplex from the pole to be house are typically stranded aluminum cable, unless they are positively ancient. However, would you expect an asshole trying to steal it for scrap to actually know that?
#2 - I walked through that tunnel countless times in my childhood - it’s in a town that was known as El Toro, CA… now they call it Lake Forest but that’s BS… great childhood.
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I would have liked to see the copper thief in #10- lying dead in a smoldering heap.
ReplyDeleteit wasn't a copper thief; the home owner was just trying to connect his solar panels (heh!)
Delete#1 is Frank Drebin’s freezer.
Delete#5 - The Cabbage Patch kid all growed up...
ReplyDelete10: SURPRISE! When power is disconnected, it's sometimes done by just pulling the meter. The house feed (bottom line here) is cold; the mains stay hot. It's nothing much - 220v nominal in the US- but enough to give you a shock if you short it. Power co does, sometimes, cut power at or even to the transformer, but that's more often done where someone is bridging the meter. For an unoccupied house, a meter pull is usually enough. Check your copper for power before stealing.....
ReplyDelete# 2. Sometimes I think they should stop allowing people to rent those trucks
ReplyDelete# 9. Damn that's a huge mess
# 10. The arc flash must have been unreal
JD
#2- I'm fairly certain the renter will pay for the damages. As it should be.
Delete#2 - to be fair, the truck was 6'8" high, but the tunnel was 7' 7" only at at TDC. If he was driving a teepee, it would have fit.
Delete#8 Can only hope that's a Tesla.
ReplyDelete#5: That cabbage patch seems a little out of place.
ReplyDelete#9: Pot luck was a little unlucky today
#10 reminds me of a story. I joined local 969, inside electricians. Mostly because they had a better education program than the non-union guys and I figured I'd put up with their socialism for a bit without problem. And the apprenticeship director told me about an apprentice who'd been fired. As part of the discussion about what it took to get fired, you see. He was fired for repeated safety violations, about three years before I joined.
ReplyDeleteTurns out he'd been told to find a different line of work, because he'd get killed if he stayed an electrician. He got a job an an apprentice electrician with a non-union shop, and was dead about six months later. He got there early in the morning, and decided to show how much of a go-getter he was be getting started. Went to the ditch they'd dug where they were removing existing cable, and cut it. It was still live. And shortly afterwards, he wasn't.
Of course, I'm still not entirely sure if said apprenticeship director wasn't feeding me a bill of goods, but it still makes a great story, IMHO.
John G.
Beware the energetic stupid man. No matter where he goes, chaos and destruction will follow him.
Delete'Beware the energetic stupid man. No matter where he goes, chaos and destruction will follow him."
DeleteI'm putting this one in my Word document with all my pithy quotes. All I need is a name for attribution.
His name is Spurgle - that's Mr. Spurgle to you, Sir, and as noted, chaos and destruction follow him. However, he usually seems to survive it with others paying the cost.
DeleteWell, 'Spurgle' doesn't seem dignified enough to be attached to this nugget, so I'm going with Steve Sky. I always like to give attribution to authors when I quote them.
Delete#1 - I remember refrigerators before "frost free". My mom used a hair dryer to defrost, and back then, hair dryers were quite different. I remember metal lever-action ice cube trays too.
ReplyDelete#3 - What is it? Crown?
- jed
I remember "refrigerators" when the guy used to bring us a large chunk of ice with the tongs over his back from his horse-drawn wagon - this was in NYC in the mid '40s.
DeleteMy grandfather had a truck and a small boat he ran an ice route with. He along with my dad and his 2 brothers would deliver for the iceboxes of those days
DeleteJD
Boron: South Philly had ice wagons up until the late '60s. The brand was Starry's Ice and Coal.
DeleteThose were not refrigerators. Those were ice boxes. Old timers still call a refrigerator an ice box occasionally.
DeleteI call them iceboxes. Just the way I was raised.
Delete#10 - A new nominee for a Darwin Award?
ReplyDeleteI don't get #7; #9 is the saddest thing I've ever seen; why is #3 funny?
ReplyDeleteYeah, #9 needs someone to comfort her, other than the cat.
DeleteGarage burned up, probably his workshop
DeleteI am hoping 3 is a tooth because if it's a kidney stone that someone is in BAD shape.
ReplyDeleteEastwood
If it was a tonsil stone it wouldn't be so bad. Except that I've heard they stink as bad as rotting flesh.
DeleteMost tonsil stones are almost pure streptococcus colonies - I get them frequently. And yes they are pretty smelly
DeleteIt looks like a temporary crown. PITA but fixable
DeleteCoelacanth
#3: Had that happen two Fridays at lunch with a friend. No dentist available until Monday.
Delete#2. Wasn’t going fast enough
ReplyDeleteMy next door neighbor asked the landlord to install a security light. He went into the garage, found a likely spot, and drilled through the wall for the power wire. He hit the feed on the outside wall. I heard a loud buzz and my lights dimmed since we're on the same transformer. I went outside to see what happened and he was standing there with a dazed look on his face. He was holding a cheap plastic cordless drill. It probably saved his life. It cost him around $10,000 to get it repaired since the service had to be upgraded to current code.
ReplyDelete#8. To be fair, that’s exactly why those trucks exist. For the construction crew it’s just a mild annoyance. For the driver it’s a totaled little scootey car, but look like he’ll walk away so I can’t feel bad for him.
ReplyDelete1 Make sure your freezer door is fully closed.
ReplyDelete9. She's been working hard all day making that crock pot dinner for hubby, now it's ruined
10. Isn't lead in aluminum anyway?
10. No, but it is in brass, or it was until a few years ago. Brass couldn't be machined without lead until a method and tools to machine it without lead was developed.
DeleteIsn't lead-in wire aluminum.
DeleteI'm not talking about led
Yes, that lead-in and the triplex from the pole to be house are typically stranded aluminum cable, unless they are positively ancient. However, would you expect an asshole trying to steal it for scrap to actually know that?
Delete#2 - I walked through that tunnel countless times in my childhood - it’s in a town that was known as El Toro, CA… now they call it Lake Forest but that’s BS… great childhood.
ReplyDelete