emahler made me do it, 500 kw solar install

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ramsy

Roger Ruhle dba NoFixNoPay
Location
LA basin, CA
Occupation
Service Electrician 2020 NEC
emahler may have had a bit to do with me accepting a position with a General contractor last week.

This GC installs photovoltaic systems for BP, made local news partnering on large community projects with NECA --the largest commercial EC association in the US--.

I was one of may apprentice rejects NECA has cancelled, and last week I read about these projects in the Building Trades News Journal, while green with envy.

Today this community superstar, with the golden contracts from BP, just handed me some plans for a 500+KW solar install, and said NECA had been dumped, and now its all me.

I said to several people during the interview, "as NECA's most expensive reject nothing gives me more pleasure than taking these plans from them; even if I don't know jack about solar, I'm really going to enjoy every minute that I last on this project."

While BP's contracts are finite, and all good things never last long, I had to share this bit of irony with all of you, who may know of my battle as the black-balled apprentice / desperate handyman, during the last few years.
 

ramsy

Roger Ruhle dba NoFixNoPay
Location
LA basin, CA
Occupation
Service Electrician 2020 NEC
emahler said:
...keep me posted...

GC will not authorize purchase of Chicago benders, or other useful equipment. It was suggested our GC is a turn-over investor. Installation cost appears secondary to the goal of shared utility revenue (generated from ownership of customer's photvoltic equipment).

Our GC & others are seeking to install commercial rooftop-solor equipment for free, to get a cut of the utility savings from big box retailers & other commercial-building owners. Current utility saving aproaches 40% during peak demand. See utility's attempt to fight back below.

"Edison presses solar power agenda with $875 million energy installation"
http://www.eere.energy.gov/news/news_detail.cfm/news_id=11666

At one of these jobs today I responded to some high-schoolish character and opererational trainwrecks by shaking up the mechanical leed man, and sending another one crying down the scafolding.

The project manager helped me realized this company was deferring entirely to these young men for their operations, and invited me to please let them use my equipment, and burn all the time & money they need to stay happy.

This mechanical crew was taken from a competetor during takeover by some corporate scum. The prior disgruntled crew, new owner, and customers are all happy now.

I shook hands and made up, and was invited to get overtime while standing around Saturday. I haven't learned to do that yet. The crew loaded my truck full of conduit & gutter boneyards, and we all went home early and got paid for eight.

On top of all this, one latin man I play soccer with during lunch invited me to visit his home town, meet some real latin women, and view affordable vacation propery near private schools, where he claims gangs have never existed. How can I kick this gift horse in the mouth, I still rent in California's glorious housing market.

The toughest part of this job is keeping these mechanics bare hands out of the energized 480 vdc combiner boxes. Every day is tough, as is earning these young men's trust and respect, but not for lack of trying.
 
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emahler

Senior Member
Sounds like a FUBAR situation in the making...sorry to hear that...but for the record, I don't feel bad:D
 

ramsy

Roger Ruhle dba NoFixNoPay
Location
LA basin, CA
Occupation
Service Electrician 2020 NEC
Yes. And nothing should be taken too seriously, since every day we last as an employee is numbered.
 
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