This is far from the first time I've done this job. For various and sundry reasons I'd never went up the ladder to Wireman or Journeyman electrician, and so I had to start yet again from the bottom. Primarily, I am either a salesman of some sort, or an HVAC service technician, but in my current circumstances it seemed most wise to take the job that I was offered - as an apprentice electrician, once again.
I first did this job for my father's business when I was just twelve years old, and during the Summers when school was out, I'd work with my late grandfather. The point of it was that he was an older man, and there was a lot of concern in the family with him working alone out in the heat. My father then owned a fairly robust business, and a lot of service vans - so the employees were often alone, and also often teamed with others depending upon the job.
I worked again in the same capacity as a sixteen year old out of school for the Summer for my father's younger brother, and yet again the next Summer, but then for my father's older brother.
It should be obvious to all that at twelve years old I had no apprentice electrician's license as none was required. Again, I had no apprentice electrician's license in my sixteenth year, or my seventeenth year.
What is the purpose of the apprentice electrical license? The ONLY purpose of that license is for the State Of Texas to pocket twenty dollars. Full stop. End of story. There is no test, no need to do anything - just send the government some money to justify a piece of paper to go into the wallet.
In 2005 I again went to work for my father's younger brother wiring houses, in that year I was 31 years of age, and I had to buy an apprentice license.
How is it a license if it is something exchanged for cash? Does the word "license" not mean that someone is permitted by the state to do a thing because they've demonstrated some level of skill?
I assure you - there was no "demonstration, " and I already had the "skill."
In 2005, the license which is only a purchased piece of cheap paper with cheap ink and a absolutely silly seal from the State Of Texas on it - cost fifteen dollars.
As I stated, it now cost twenty.
I'm reasonably certain the exact same sort of stupidity exists in all states, and it exists for one reason alone - to make money, to justify the existence of the Licensing and Regulation's Department, and to help fund that department's growth.
Government, like a cancer, only seeks ever to justify itself, and then to grow.
Below is a Milwaukee brand "Hole Hawg." This powerful drill is used to drill holes through the wooden skeleton of a home in order to pull wire through the drilled out holes. This tool is very dangerous, and this is because the motor on it is very strong, and should you be in the process of drilling a hole, and then hit some carpenter's nail, you might well break one of your writs,, an elbow, or even dislocate your shoulder - you might be on top of a tall ladder, and you might then fall off, increasing your injuries.
There is absolutely no logical or precautionary reason for it, but government only knows how to seek to grow, and to justify its existence, and in regards to department licensing and regulations concerning the Texas Electrical Code, no more than two Romex wires may now go through any drilled hole to the panel or "breaker box."
There is no reason for this new bit of code which didn't exist before - but were the government to not change codes around, it wouldn't have the excuse to grow, and small businesses would have less work to do - but because government ONLY seeks to grow, we get new stupid regulations that do not protect the homeowner in any way, they only justify the department's growth, and its continued growth to infinity.
Neither does the regulation mentioned above concerning the number of wires that can be fitted through a particular hole to the panel or "breaker box" protect the electrician. No, not at all, that only makes the job more difficult, and more time consuming.
Below is a Milwaukee brand hammer drill. The hammer drill is a very useful tool for drilling into bricks, mortar, and concrete. That is really its entire justification for existing. Another stupid and pathetic bit of legislation from governments that only seek to grow would be new codes requiring that an a/c condenser's "whip" coming out of the disconnect box near the unit be bolted to the wall of a home. Should a new home be brick or stone, then a hammer drill such as the very fine Milwaukee brand drill below will most certainly be needed.
There is nothing in the way of safety precaution for the homeowner in this new bit of nonsensical electrical code, and as a E.P.A. Universal Technician regarding refrigeration equipment, I can assure you a thousand times over there is no reason at all that this new bit of legislative shit exists in regards to protecting the HVAC mechanic.
No need to state it, but the homeowner is neither protected nor served here either. Governments only seek to grow, and to justify their ridiculous departments existence, and continued growth.
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