# Always knew I was weak in industrial... Lil help please?



## drsparky (Nov 13, 2008)

Go through a legitimate apprenticeship. ABC or IBEW.


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## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

Try a local tech school, they might have night classes right down your ally.


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## TDonlan (Jul 7, 2011)

*Distributors*

Check with some of your local warehouse distributors. Occassionally they have classes through manufacturers. I know that Rockwell/Allen-Bradley does. I don't know if you are licensed in Texas so a good apprenticeship might be good if it does not interfere with your current work schedule. See if there is a NEC Code class somewhere, even if it's only an Update class. If you aren't familiar with bending, get a Benfield or Greenlee bending book.

Common sense regarding electricity will be your best asset at the moment. Find a book covering basic motor controls and relays. Just about everything else is based on those two items. (Even a PLC is at its core a relay.)


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## Jmohl (Apr 26, 2011)

drsparky said:


> Go through a legitimate apprenticeship. ABC or IBEW.


Yeah, so you can learn to be a proper pipetrician......... Seriously, not many IBEW trained sparkies get much if any exposure to controls.


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## idioteque83 (May 19, 2009)

Nice comment JMohl. You sound very educated. Let me guess you are one of those "technicians". You are probably a "control guy.":laughing:


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## Jmohl (Apr 26, 2011)

Yup, bonafide, died in the wool Rat Fink, merit shop, RTW state, jack of all trades, hack tech. No apprenticeship, no spoon feeding, just school of hard knocks.:thumbup:


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

busymnky said:


> I have moved to Texas, had problems with my documentation so I took a maintainence job. I have a 480 3ph rail with 220 1ph control, 10 boxes sliding around on the rail powering a dozen machines. I admit I'm in over my head, mostly because most of the gear has been jumpered, bypassed, shorted, and generally messed up by unlicensed maint mechs. So I need to learn a lot quick! I will read the old threads, and ask questions, I just wanted to thank ya'll in advance and see if anyone could recomend some general tutorial type reading.


All of us started out knowing nothing. Some served apprenticeships, some worked for companies that trained them. Some learned like you are. The "school of hard knocks". As you say.

First thing we need to know is exactly how much do you REALLY know? The advice we give, must match your ability.
I have taken several jobs in my career I knew very little about. Told them I could do things I did not know how to do. But in time and with some luck I kept those jobs and learned so many things.

Do you understand how this rail system really works? Can you shut down sections and tear out all the mess and re work it? Do you feel comfortable working with a new correct install?
If things are as bad as you say, this could be what needs to be done. 

Are you alone or do you have someone that knows the work? If you do, ask for help. Maybe someone will take you under wing? Take it easy and do not do anything you are not comfortable with. 

To help you we need specific questions. Ask one and we will answer you as best we can. That's about all we can do. We cannot hold your hand, but we can tell you specifically how to accomplish most any electrical task.


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