What do think the biggest changes in our trade have been?

[Evans Electric]

Since completing apprenticeship  at  Faraday , Ohms & Watt ,  Electrical Contractors  Ltd  (1872)   I have seen a few  changes .   

Some of the major steps forward ,  have been :-  ( In no particular order) 

 1)   SDS  drills      ( Yes  fixings were done by hammer & jumper bits once) 

2)   LED lighting .

3)   Solid state switching .

4)  PVC  conduit .

5)  Health & Safety     ( Yep  it hardly existed  ... wobbly steps ...mains tester made from a lampholder/ 15watt pygmy lamp /  two bits of flex . ) 

Leave room for further comments.  

 

[OnOff]

Cordless tools...saves carrying them big yellow batteries round sites...

:coat

 

[ProDave]

Too much regulation being forced upon us.

 

[ruston]

The  internet giving all the trade secrets away.  Same with all trades though.

 

[Kurt]

Since i started in 1980 have seen.

1. RCDs 

2. PLCs, MMIs

3. Crazy coloured wiring

4. Plastic rotary isolaters

5. Robots

6. LED lighting

7. Multi function test equipment

8. Inverters for speed / load control

9. Cheap Chinese knock offs

10. Wireless controls

11. Cheap CCTV with internet

12. PCs

13. Mobile phones

14. Hi Viz 

15. Death of the donkey jacket  :-(

16. Solar and wind power

17. Satelite TV

18. Digital cameras

 

[Sharpend]

Oh yes those Donkeys were warm. 

 

[Tony S]

Hard wired logic (Solicon, Logicon 1 & 2)

PLC’s, a step backwards from ↑L2↑.

VSD’s smaller than a house.

 

[Evans Electric]

Ah yes   Cordless tools  are a massive change for the good .

Solar panels would have been regarded as science fiction .

AS Dave says ...over regulation .

Cell phones   ...best thing without them was once you left the office / workshop  you could crack on without interruption   ...now everything needs to be immediate , you're on a job , phone rings , "Can you come NOW ..I need a sparks NOW ! . 

 

[ProDave]

Oh yes those Donkeys were warm. 

But heavy. And some without the plastic shoulder covering, not very waterproof.

I still have one somewhere in the loft if the mice have not eaten it.

 

[ProDave]

One of my dad's things I have in my collection is a hand cranked bench pillar drill.  And of course the brace and bit for wood drilling. And the yankee screwdriver.

 

[kerching]

everything above plus.....

Wagos 

wago boxes

FP200

Pyro Joistripper

any cordless tool

Lion batteries

Wiha/Wera multi bit tool,sets

tone tracer

Krone LSA Plus sensor tool

TDRs

JDSU HST3000...... not suitable for everyone

gel crimps

IDC connections

Cable basket

Cable ties

the demise of Blakeley tape

pozi drive screws

little giant ladder

Boss Lyte scaffolding

RCBOs

tower clips....although buckle clips are making a return

sticky mini trunk

multitool

basically anything we use nowadays

basically EVERYTHING we use nowadays!

 

[Badger]

Since completing apprenticeship  at  Faraday , Ohms & Watt ,  Electrical Contractors  Ltd  (1872)   I have seen a few  changes .   

Some of the major steps forward ,  have been :-  ( In no particular order) 

 1)   SDS  drills      ( Yes  fixings were done by hammer & jumper bits once) 

2)   LED lighting .

3)   Solid state switching .

4)  PVC  conduit .

5)  Health & Safety     ( Yep  it hardly existed  ... wobbly steps ...mains tester made from a lampholder/ 15watt pygmy lamp /  two bits of flex . ) 

Leave room for further comments.  

Thought this was the niceic tool box standard 

 

[Evans Electric]

One of my dad's things I have in my collection is a hand cranked bench pillar drill.  And of course the brace and bit for wood drilling. And the yankee screwdriver.

Banned by all the firms I worked for because the  driver bit / chuck  was mechanically connected to that big mushroom  screw head  on the grip. that held it all together 

 

[Evans Electric]

he demise of Blakeley tape

Not before time Kerch ,  it was absolute pants .

A  Pain in the backside thing  back then was the NIC's condemnation of  using timber  to bush the holes between switchgear and a chamber , say .

Problem was there was never anything supplied ,  as in many cases,    you were left to improvise .    Most times there was no need to bush anyway ...say a letterbox size hole  with 4 X 70mm tails passing through .... between then and the end of time   they will never move themselves to the metal edge  , then rub themselves  to & fro until the insulation wears through. 

 

[rapparee]

Having ten years experience, I know of nothing but our modern ways.

I some times come across obsolete things such as pyro, aluminum ladders and son e lights.

 

[Evans Electric]

)  Health & Safety     ( Yep  it hardly existed  ... wobbly steps ...mains tester made from a lampholder/ 15watt pygmy lamp /  two bits of flex . ) 

Leave room for further comments.  

Thing with tools  was ,  Badge ,  a sparks was earning around £25  /week   ( Pre Decimal)   and a Stanley rule with the belt clip  would cost him £5  if lost or stolen  ....     don't even think about treading on the blade...  so we were all brought up to respect a working man's tools  and there was no way you would just pick one up  to use  without permission .

There are rules of the same quality today  ...a big bin full of them at £1  each .   

 

[Evans Electric]

I some times come across obsolete things such as pyro, aluminum ladders and son e lights.

One of the differences is ,  there was a lot more time allowed to do anything . 

Without SDS drills say.... plugging a fixing hole for a saddle  could be  7 to  10 mins   instead of 10 seconds . 

And others on here will confirm ....  cutting a letterbox slot in a panel , say ,  armed with a few hacksaw blades and some rag .    Job for the apprentice  from 8 am  till  lunch time .  

 

[kerching]

we were all brought up to respect a working man's tools  and there was no way you would just pick one up  to use  without permission .

Due to the phenomenol amount of tools and test equipment I have acquired over the years it is very VERY rare that I have to borrow anything. BUT if I have to then I make sure whoever I have borrowed it off sees me put it back and acknowledges the fact. Also, I think that if you need to borrow something twice then you need to own one except in extremely rare situations

if you borrow something from me and it comes back damaged then you own it and owe me a new one. If Sometime later ( after you have obviously finished using it) I have to ask for it back then you never get the chance of ever borrowing anything again

 

[ProDave]

One of the first things I made as an apprentice was a continuity tester. A metal box, a battery, a bell, and some flex and croc clips.  Went with the voltage tester (lamp) and insulation tester (wind up megger)  What more test gear did you need?

 

[Evans Electric]

. Also, I think that if you need to borrow something twice then you need to own one except in extremely rare situations

if you borrow something from me and it comes back damaged then you own it and owe me a new one. If Sometime later ( after you have obviously finished using it) I have to ask for it back then you never get the chance of ever borrowing anything again

Exactly how I would put it  !