MIKON8ERISBACK Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Does anyone else here have the knowledge and skills required to perform their own electrical installations? Im basically asking everyone if they have the knowledge to perform a task such as the replacement of a light fixture or outlet receptacle or the installation of such equipment from scratch. This thread is NOT intended to showcase instructions on how to carry out activities in which there exists the potential for serious injury, property damage, or death. I'm only asking if people reading this have an interest in doing such things themselves or already know. It's an issue of "YES", "NO", and "Why"? Among the things I have done safely around my house are the replacement of a light fixture and the replacement of an ordinary outlet with a GFCI outlet which feeds an outlet on the exterior of my house. I am relatively fluent in the field of electrical work and have all the common sense required to do things safely. Please be reminded that I do not recommend carrying out tasks in the field of electrical work unless you know exactly what your doing. I cannot put into words the years of research and gain of understanding that I have undergone in order to familiarize myself with the number of hazards that can be imposed by amateur electrical installations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coin-god Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Yes. What's the point of this thread? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIKON8ERISBACK Posted August 16, 2012 Author Share Posted August 16, 2012 Yes. What's the point of this thread? Just asking people "YES", "NO", and "Why". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toup Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Yes. What's the point of this thread? Just asking people "YES", "NO", and "Why". Ok. Yes. Saves me some hassle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EscoLehGo Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 No and the "why" is because I would cause grievous harm to myself or die. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEALUX Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 I studied parts about electricity in school (mostly about direct current but also some things about alternating current) in the physics class. It was actually my favorite part of physics as I became quite a bit fascinated about electricity. I haven't really done any electrical work yet but in principle I know how to do some basic stuff because I have some knowledge about this domain. The Audiophile Thread XB271HU | TESORO Gram XS | Xtrfy MZ1 | Xbox Elite v2 | Hifiman Sundara | Fiio K9 Pro i7 4790K 4.4 GHz | GTX 1080 Ti | 32 GB Crucial DDR3 | ADATA 256GB | Samsung 860 PRO 2TB Xbox | Xbox 360 | Xbox Series X | PS2 | PS3 | Google Pixel 6 Pro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WF the Hobgoblin Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 I studied parts about electricity in school (mostly about direct current but also some things about alternating current) in the physics class. It was actually my favorite part of physics as I became quite a bit fascinated about electricity. I'm the opposite. When I did Physics at school, the electricity and electronics modules were the ones I struggled the most with and didn't care much for. As a result, my knowledge in electrical matters is lacking somewhat and I'm therefore reluctant to muck around with it myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crokey Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Yes I can do electrical work, single and three phase, wiring and assembling of distribution boxes and re-wiring of houses and business premises. Although I don't have a Sparkies ticket, I have rewired an entire house before and got a friend of mine who is a Sparky to come and sign it off. As long as you know the right fuses, incomers, circuit breakers and more importantly the right cable to use, it's a piece of p*ss. So if you've made this topic to recruit henchmen for your new villainous underground volcanic lair that you are going to use to take over the world... then, erm... count me in, sounds like fun, as long as you've got Dental. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epoxi Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Yes. I can change basic components like plug sockets, rewire plugs and install transformers, but I suppose everyone can do that...there are only 2 or 3 wires (depending on if use use an earth) lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anuj Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Yeah this is going to make for THRILLING discussion. I don't know why you're surveying GTAF about its electrician work competency level. I mean, doesn't everyone at some point learn how to do basic sh*t? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIKON8ERISBACK Posted August 16, 2012 Author Share Posted August 16, 2012 Yeah this is going to make for THRILLING discussion. I don't know why you're surveying GTAF about its electrician work competency level. I mean, doesn't everyone at some point learn how to do basic sh*t? I'm just interested to see if others share my interests, that's all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
na89340qv0n34b09q340 Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 No, I've never tried to learn, but I doubt it's all that difficult. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WedgeAntilles Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 I can change lightbulbs and turn fuses back on... failing that I light candles.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 I would have thought most DIYers are fine adding sockets and lighting additions with a little Internet reference? Having recently redone the kitchen, having a little common sense and basic knowledge made any changes a doddle. Changing light fittings and switches/sockets shouldn't even need reference, just copy what is already there (providing its all correctly earthed you shouldn't need to modify at all). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trip Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Yup. I do almost all of my own electrical work in my house - all the way to adding breakers to my breaker box. My house predates electricity in homes so trust me there is plenty to do. My crappy games at MyCrappyGames.com Free copy of Save The Puppies and Kittens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K^2 Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Yeah, I've had some basic training in electrical work. Had to fill up some credits back in high school, so I took a shop class on it. Turned out to be moderately useful. Both apartments I've lived in have really outdated wiring, so I've done some minor repairs, primarily replacing switches and outlets. Prior to filing a bug against any of my code, please consider this response to common concerns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinski Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 No. But I take solace in the fact that I realise this and as such outsource to someone who knows which wire goes where. There's a lot less death this way. I have a caveman like mixture of fear and respect for electricity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTA_stu Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 My house predates electricity in homes What a coincidence, so do you! Just kidding trip Nope I don't really know a whole lot about electricity, or plumbing or anything housy like that. I can assemble an IKEA flatpack wardrobe though, if that redeems me somewhat. Although even a chimp could do that so I guess not. Speaking of plumbing, my boiler finally got fixed after 4 days. My boxer-shorts were starting to dissolve so it couldn't have come at a better time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreatGig Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 I have a caveman like mixture of fear and respect for electricity. Couldn't have put it better myself. I had a pretty bad accident involving electricity and since then I have decided that it's not for me. My dad used to work in a nuclear power station and always had some instruments buzzing or ticking away in his room at home. I remember the first time I saw him playing with an oscilloscope. I have never been so amazed by something so simple in all my life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trip Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 My house predates electricity in homes What a coincidence, so do you! Just kidding trip Nope I don't really know a whole lot about electricity, or plumbing or anything housy like that. I can assemble an IKEA flatpack wardrobe though, if that redeems me somewhat. Although even a chimp could do that so I guess not. Speaking of plumbing, my boiler finally got fixed after 4 days. My boxer-shorts were starting to dissolve so it couldn't have come at a better time. Hey! I'm a young man. I wish I was better at plumbing. Plumbing makes me very nervous. My crappy games at MyCrappyGames.com Free copy of Save The Puppies and Kittens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exkabewbikadid Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 I wish I was better at plumbing. Plumbing makes me very nervous. Alls you gotta know is that sh*t runs downhill. But yes, I've done my share of electrical wiring. I'm definitely no master electrician, but the basics are fairly straightforward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lil weasel Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 My house predates electricity in homes What a coincidence, so do you! Just kidding trip Nope I don't really know a whole lot about electricity, or plumbing or anything housy like that. I can assemble an IKEA flatpack wardrobe though, if that redeems me somewhat. Although even a chimp could do that so I guess not. Speaking of plumbing, my boiler finally got fixed after 4 days. My boxer-shorts were starting to dissolve so it couldn't have come at a better time. Hey! I'm a young man. I wish I was better at plumbing. Plumbing makes me very nervous. Likewise. Electrical work is clean. Plumbing definitely isn't. The place I live in right now has no isolator valves on anything too and the complete mess of pipes is too much for me to figure out how to drain the system entirely. Most I've done is replace a toilet filler and I've gotta try replace a sink in the next few weeks. Not looking forward to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trip Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 My house predates electricity in homes What a coincidence, so do you! Just kidding trip Nope I don't really know a whole lot about electricity, or plumbing or anything housy like that. I can assemble an IKEA flatpack wardrobe though, if that redeems me somewhat. Although even a chimp could do that so I guess not. Speaking of plumbing, my boiler finally got fixed after 4 days. My boxer-shorts were starting to dissolve so it couldn't have come at a better time. Hey! I'm a young man. I wish I was better at plumbing. Plumbing makes me very nervous. Likewise. Electrical work is clean. Plumbing definitely isn't. The place I live in right now has no isolator valves on anything too and the complete mess of pipes is too much for me to figure out how to drain the system entirely. Most I've done is replace a toilet filler and I've gotta try replace a sink in the next few weeks. Not looking forward to it. Sounds like you live in the same house. I have no independent shut offs either. My f*cking powder room sink has been down for a few years now - easy u-pipe replacement. Problem is the whole thing was jury rigged to begin with. Sure, that I could handle just by replacing everything. Nope - the outlet is hard welded to the main pipe. Not like I have an oxy acetylene torch in my crap ass collection of tools. Back to the electricity part of this thread: about 1/4 of my house is still old knob and tube. That is the only stuff I don't f*ck with directly. I will work off it, but I sure as hell am not going to f*ck directly with the original layout or pieces. My crappy games at MyCrappyGames.com Free copy of Save The Puppies and Kittens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIKON8ERISBACK Posted August 18, 2012 Author Share Posted August 18, 2012 My house predates electricity in homes What a coincidence, so do you! Just kidding trip Nope I don't really know a whole lot about electricity, or plumbing or anything housy like that. I can assemble an IKEA flatpack wardrobe though, if that redeems me somewhat. Although even a chimp could do that so I guess not. Speaking of plumbing, my boiler finally got fixed after 4 days. My boxer-shorts were starting to dissolve so it couldn't have come at a better time. Hey! I'm a young man. I wish I was better at plumbing. Plumbing makes me very nervous. Likewise. Electrical work is clean. Plumbing definitely isn't. The place I live in right now has no isolator valves on anything too and the complete mess of pipes is too much for me to figure out how to drain the system entirely. Most I've done is replace a toilet filler and I've gotta try replace a sink in the next few weeks. Not looking forward to it. Sounds like you live in the same house. I have no independent shut offs either. My f*cking powder room sink has been down for a few years now - easy u-pipe replacement. Problem is the whole thing was jury rigged to begin with. Sure, that I could handle just by replacing everything. Nope - the outlet is hard welded to the main pipe. Not like I have an oxy acetylene torch in my crap ass collection of tools. Back to the electricity part of this thread: about 1/4 of my house is still old knob and tube. That is the only stuff I don't f*ck with directly. I will work off it, but I sure as hell am not going to f*ck directly with the original layout or pieces. Oh. With knob & tube wiring, if you don't tamper with it, it's "grandfathered" and will still be legal, but once you modify it in any way, it automatically becomes a code violation and you'll have to pull it all out and have it replaced with modern day 14 or 12 gauge wiring. You need to be careful because K&T lacks a ground wire for outlets, fixtures, or junction boxes. I would suggest installing GFCI outlets and labeling them with "NO EQUIPMENT GROUND". That's the law. Otherwise you risk an electric shock or destroying whatever appliance was plugged in. Stray voltage wreaks havoc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZoomZoom Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 Yes I can do some electrical work by myself. Saves money too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WF the Hobgoblin Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 I have a caveman like mixture of fear and respect for electricity. Couldn't have put it better myself. Good. I was starting to think that I was the only one here who wasn't an accomplished electrician. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakshaft Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 I have an interest in doing my own electrical work, especially after today, I just got a new TV to replace my old one which I have had for a few years and I only realized it today but the people who first installed my satellite receiver, didn't connect it to my TV, they connected it to my VCR and then my TV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIKON8ERISBACK Posted August 19, 2012 Author Share Posted August 19, 2012 I have an interest in doing my own electrical work, especially after today, I just got a new TV to replace my old one which I have had for a few years and I only realized it today but the people who first installed my satellite receiver, didn't connect it to my TV, they connected it to my VCR and then my TV People like to run that stuff through VCRs or other recording devices so they can record their shows. DVRs have made this somewhat obsolete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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