Wiring

Uncle Jim was an electrician. That was his career. He didn’t teach me to wire though, my dad did. Even today, I can’t profess to always remember how it works. Black to black and white to white. There is something about the non-insulated wire being “the ground.” I hate when you open a wire or a new light fixture and there are three insulated wires or one of them is red. But, when it comes to wiring, remembering how it works is pretty important.

We wired the cabin. I watched. We added outlets to the workshop, the garage, and replaced light fixtures. I learned to add new light fixtures – crawling in the attic amongst the fiberglass insulation. “Step only on the rafters and don’t fall through the ceiling dry wall.” I never did.

When building a new structure – you wire without worry. You simply have to meet “the code.” It is easier if you drill the studs before you put the wall up. Placing the outlets higher on the wall means you don’t have to bend over as far. These are all things I have learned from my dad. Oh – and don’t forget to get everything inspected before you drywall… less work!

Remember to turn off the circuit at the “fuse box" before beginning. I have really only seen fuses once. Today they call them “circuit breakers.” Flip the switch.

I have never been bitten by a snake. I have also thought that when I did get “bit” by the electricity, it would feel like getting bit by a snake. I hope I never find out.

I've been bitten a few times - maybe more. It “smarted” every time.

One day earlier this spring, one of our outside spot lights stopped working. Both lights were out at the same time. This made the “cheap light switch” I had purchased and put in a few years ago – suspect. What “a perfect opportunity to teach my own son,” the basics of “wiring.”

Chad knows one thing – electricity “bites.” I told him he had to help – he had to learn to do this. I had already gone out to the circuit breaker and flipped the switch which said “west outside.” But, he had not seen me do this and I told him I was going to show him how to change the switch “hot.” Now I had his attention – He muttered “you are soooo stupid.” I was laughing to myself as he watched intently.

I had unscrewed the cover plate and the switch. I pulled the switch out of the box. At this point I was explaining the need to attach the wires on opposites sides of the switch. “Do you want to do it?” I asked. “No” he replied.

So I continued, removing the white wire from the switch. Sparks flew and the smoke of melting insulation filled the air. I thought I had flipped the correct circuit breaker but I hadn’t. This time he muttered “you idiot – I told you so.”

Dad taught me “wiring." I taught my son "not to be stupid."

- Craig