The NEC (National Electric Code) requires different grounding methods depending on whether or not an addition is attached or separated from the one which has the electrical service.  If a building is separate, a ground rod (or rods)  is required at the point of the disconnect.  If the building or addition is attached, a ground wire is run alongside the wire feeder.

For some time this requirement changed every three years with the code update.  Often there were times that the new code change reverted to a previous requirement.  As a result I was often required to go back to a job site and change the grounding back to the method I had used 4 years before.

I had numerous discussions with inspectors regarding this particular code requirement.  It was particularly aggravating when an inspector had not kept up on the code changes.  I am afraid I sometimes lost patience with them.

There was one particular inspector with whom I had a hard time regarding the code requirement.  So I called up a different inspector to get his input.  The second inspector agreed with me in the way I had done the grounding.  At the next code cycle, the code was clarified to indicate the way I had done the grounding was correct.

When I started my own electrical contracting business, I had to pass a test to be an Electrical Administrator, which is required in the State of Washington.  I took portions of the test 8 different times before I passed all of the sections.  It cost about $500.00 to take and pass all the testing required.

At that time the State of Idaho did not require the same license.  So I also acquired my Idaho license to run an electrical contracting business.  Today the requirements in Idaho are more restrictive than in Washington.  In fact more restrictive than Washington ever was.

At one time most states had a grandfather clause, which stated that if you have passed the testing in a particular state, the licensing would be reciprocal.  By passing the testing in one state you could acquire the licensing for several states.  For instance, for awhile Wyoming was reciprocal with seven other states.

Today that is no longer the case.  Washington is not reciprocal with any other state.

One day I was headed out to look at a job north of Deer Park, Washington.  (about a 35 miles away.)  It was a warm day and I was tired.  As I drove, I felt myself getting drowsy.  Then I unexpectedly came upon a road construction crew making road repairs.

I had to hit the brakes pretty hard to keep from running into the vehicle in front of me.  However I did not have to squeal my tires to avoid an accident.

While I was waiting to move forward I noticed a young lady with a flag running back and forth across the front of the line.  Eventually the line started to move.  As I came up even with her, she stopped me.  I rolled down my window and she proceeded to bawl me out.  Read me the riot act.  Lecture me from the book.

She said that I had been driving too fast and that I could have killed her.  I didn’t quite follow her logic, but I apologized and she let me go on.

As I proceeded to the job site, I was anything but drowsy.  During the drive and the succeeding time looking at the prospective job I couldn’t get what she had told me out of my mind.  I decided the correct thing to do would be to stop on my return trip and apologize again.

I thought I would mention that she had probably saved my life, as I was getting sleepy and she was doing a good job.

When I got back to the location of the road repairs the road crew was gone.  The Flag Girl was gone.  Everything was back to normal.

Too bad!

I have always admired people who did a good job and were diligent in doing their work.

Maybe someday I will run across her and I can explain to her I really wasn’t trying to run into her, … the first time.

In years past, many years past, not many families had their own private freezer.  As a consequence there were businesses built around renting your meat locker in a large building filled with meat lockers.  We referred to them as a locker plant.  You could rent a freezer locker for your meat.  They were very handy in hunting communities.

Today a personal home freezer is so common the rental meat locker, as a business venture, is no longer viable.  One such building was being knocked down by bull-dozer to make room for new construction.  After knocking down the building, the bull-dozer pushed all the debris and detritus (chunks of concrete, wood, nails, etc.) into the lot area and buried and leveled it.

A grocery store was put up on that location.  A large electrified sign was put up across what was to be the parking lot.  We had to ditch out to the sign location and place conduit and wire in the ditch to carry electricity to the sign.

While I was running the conduit in the ditch, I got cuts on my hand from sharp pieces of concrete.  After a short time I noticed a red streak going up my arm, so I got in my pick up and went to our family doctor.  When the girl at the desk saw the red streak she sent me right into the doctor.  No waiting!

He took one look at me and asked; “What happened?”

I explained it all to him.  He asked me if it hurt there, indicating my arm pit.  I put my hand under my arm pit and said; “No, it doesn’t hurt there.”

He replied; “That’s good.  If it did it would be too late!”

Thanks Doc!

He gave me an anti-biotic which took care of it quickly.

I’m still alive.

It seems I was always working in some dirty, messy place.

I guess I was too anxious to work.