# how to learn electrical?



## J87513 (Jan 15, 2007)

Hello everybody. I currently do plumbing and light electrical work for swimming pools, (pumps, actuators, pvc/cpvc plumbing, controllers, etc.)

I am very interested in learning more. I would like to learn more about electrical work. Of course I will have to be an "apprentice" for a long time but I don't care.

How did you all learn electrical? I would imagine that I can call up an electrcal company and just be honest with them and tell them that I am young and want to learn. And not BS answers please 

thanks,
j


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## MALCO.New.York (Feb 27, 2008)

Without sounding mean......There is NO SUCH THING as "Light Electrical" (as in insignificant or simple) on a Swimming Pool. We are talking water with dissolved salts (necessary for electrical conductance) and human beings.

VERY SERIOUS STUFF!

Sign on with an Electrician as a P/T Apprentice. Let him/her know EXACTLY where you stand and what you are trying to accomplish. Sub contract them on you pool work provided that they employ you as the Apprentice.


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## jrclen (Jul 10, 2007)

Get into the trade by being hired as an apprentice or as a helper leading to an apprenticeship. You will attend classes and work on the job. It is not always easy but it is a great trade. All of us who have done it for years are still learning. That never stops. Be a good worker and an employee with a good attitude. :thumbsup:


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## jcalvin (Feb 1, 2008)

School teaches you the book stuff that you rarely ever use and a few minor hands-on projects. You could work part time for a couple months and learn more than you could in school for a year full time. 

Bottom line is, you can never "just learn a little". That will get you killed or burn your house down. I worked full time for 6 years and have been part time now for almost 5 and I am still learning very important and helpful things.


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## woodchuck2 (Feb 27, 2008)

I learned everything hands on, i read some books but they only give you the basics. You can be book smart and ace test's all day long but working in the field is totally different. The field requires a good amount of common sense and understanding of plumbing, carpentry, insulation, flooring, cabnetry, etc. You will run into all of this down the road when wiring whether it is residential, commercial and even industrial. Knowing how someone will/should do their job should make your job easier down the road.


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## Magnettica (Dec 19, 2006)

You can learn plenty by going to school. It is very rare that anyone will ever teach about electrical theory out in the field and that becomes very important during the installation of any electrical system. Hands-on is important because time is money, but knowledge is power. Keep that in mind.

Good luck.


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## nywoodwizard (Sep 10, 2005)

I'm not sure if its for everyone but for time restrictions on line schooling is available at your own pace but you will need hands on training to achieve any credentials. Like others said start off as a helper/apprentice i believe after about 2-3 years you will receive a degree, after employer signs off on your credentials/knowledge. 
I have a son in law who didn't know his shoe from a shingle ,but has even surprised me in a few years and become very knowledgeable in electrical ( even tested him on one of my own jobs). Does mostly commercial but showed him his skills are very adaptable to residential. 

In the end hands on will matter the most, there's nothing like seening and doing something in person.


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## jrclen (Jul 10, 2007)

Electric theory and finding your way around the electric code, both important, are mostly learned in the class room these days.

Mechanical execution of the work, important, mostly learned on the job.

The days of hanging around all day with a cigar chewing old guy and eventually calling yourself an electrician are gone. :thumbsup:


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## AllAmerican (Nov 17, 2007)

J,

Since you are in the Los Angeles area visit the website for Los Angeles Trade Technical College. The website address is www.lattc.edu. They offer construction trade classes many of which are taught by industry professionals. Of course, you will have to work with a licensed electrical contractor as an apprentice and learn the hands on side of the trade. 

If you prefer a more comprehensive training program there is the IBEW - www.ibew.org apprenticeship program. That program should give you great exposure and education for commercial and industrial systems along with good wages and benefit package.


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## thom (Nov 3, 2006)

I started at the top and worked my way down. 

I am a GC. I wanted to learn the other trades. I hired a really competent electrical sub. I paid him well with the clear understanding that he would teach me the technical parts of being an electrician. We did both commercial and residential work. I also took weekend and evening classes to learn the theory and advanced installation. In addition, I read the code book and a few other books on electrical installation and theory.


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## mickeyco (May 13, 2006)

Experiment at a "friends" house, the guys at Home Depot and HGTV.





School and hands on, I think the school part is important, you can learn it from a book, but you can't ask the book questions and it can't explain with pictures on a chalkboard.

.


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## Timster (Feb 1, 2006)

thom said:


> I started at the top and worked my way down.
> 
> I am a GC. I wanted to learn the other trades. I hired a really competent electrical sub. I paid him well with the clear understanding that he would teach me the technical parts of being an electrician. We did both commercial and residential work. I also took weekend and evening classes to learn the theory and advanced installation. In addition, I read the code book and a few other books on electrical installation and theory.


That is pretty much what I am doing too. Good for you.

It is unfortunate that sometimes, it is who you know, not what you know, to learn the trades...


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