09-06-2013, 03:18 PM
As an electrical/instrumentation drawing office office apprentice in the late 60s, I remember spending some time showing our department clerk how to wire a 3-pin plug. He was extending (as it turned out) the cable on a standard lamp at home. I understood he was putting a new cable (his words) on it. That evening, he had gone home and diligently wired a new 13amp plug onto the new cable exactly as I had told him.
Next morning he came in to work saying I must have got it wrong as it "blew up" when he switched it on.
So, that evening I detoured via his home to check it all out.
He had correctly wired the plug onto the new cable, then stripped back the other end cores. These he had twisted together with the 3 cores of the old cable and then taped over the join.
He and I never did see eye to eye after what I called him - remember, I was only an apprentice and he was the Oberleutenant drawing office clerk - he who issues pencils, only to the privileged few.
I often wonder if he ever attempted another "difficult" electrical task.
Colin
Next morning he came in to work saying I must have got it wrong as it "blew up" when he switched it on.
So, that evening I detoured via his home to check it all out.
He had correctly wired the plug onto the new cable, then stripped back the other end cores. These he had twisted together with the 3 cores of the old cable and then taped over the join.
He and I never did see eye to eye after what I called him - remember, I was only an apprentice and he was the Oberleutenant drawing office clerk - he who issues pencils, only to the privileged few.
I often wonder if he ever attempted another "difficult" electrical task.
Colin
