A client in Phoenix called me out on my lazy meter checks

I was fixing a fridge that kept tripping the breaker, and I just did a quick voltage check at the outlet like I always do. The homeowner, an older guy who used to be an electrician, watched me and said, 'Son, you're not even checking the actual compressor terminals under load. That outlet reading is a story, not the whole book.' He was right. I got a bit red and went back, put my amp clamp on the compressor wire while it tried to start, and saw the spike was way over spec. The outlet voltage was fine, but the real problem was a weak start component causing a huge amp draw. I changed my routine that day. Now, for any motor that's acting up, I always check the amp draw at the unit itself, not just the source. It adds maybe two minutes and has saved me from missing the real issue three times since. Has anyone else had a client point out a bad habit you didn't even know you had?

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3 Comments

dylanfisher7mo ago

Love getting schooled by old pros.

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harper_cooper217mo ago

I watched my grandpa fix a carburetor once and it changed how I work on my own car, dylanfisher. Honestly, just asking questions and watching their hands taught me more than any manual.

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hollyc926mo ago

Yeah but sometimes dylanfisher they just tell old stories.

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