# Lesson learned



## pigskin plumber (Oct 2, 2011)

I show up at an apartment building to change a 2 tap shower valve to a single leaver. Super is onsite and tells me I'm lucky because this bathroom is the only one on the floor with an access panel (it's in the hallway), and that he's turned off the water and I'm good to go. So I do my think, start prepping and then get down to cutting the pipe. WELL, it was fully charged and so I'm yelling at the super to turn the water off and he's panicking to turn it off, which that unit was, so I say try next door and sure enough after a few minutes it gets turned off. Access panel was serving the unit beside the one we were to work on. Anyways, I fix that and cut a hole in the wall to the correct bathroom and get the job done. 
Lesson learned, check and measure yourself, don't take the word of a super. 
Cheers
Oh and the water leaked 3 floors down..nice.


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## DesertOkie (Jul 15, 2011)

I feel for it once, thank goodness it was just for pulling a kholer(I think) shower valve. He said it was off I pulled it out and sploosh. It seems I always get burned by the guys with a little bit of knowledge that should know whats going on.


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## beachplumber (Feb 7, 2010)

always dbl check 

had an employee respond to a job. Maintenance tried to repair drip on 3rd level roman tub valve, they couldn't get so left water off to house.

Thinking it was just a drip my guy got there turned water on and mozied up the stairs. The work order failed to mention they had pulled it apart and left it apart. :furious:

I showed up had to order the new tenants a fresh pack of linens, but we got it dryed up


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## 89plumbum (May 14, 2011)

I always double check valves and electrical breakers. Never trust someone when there is a monetary or life risk involved. Who cares if someone gets offended. Better for one guy to look like a goof than 2.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

*knocked on my ass early this spring*



89plumbum said:


> I always double check valves and electrical breakers. Never trust someone when there is a monetary or life risk involved. Who cares if someone gets offended. Better for one guy to look like a goof than 2.


 
I never trust a landlord or homeowner

I got lit up on a water heater a while back cause they claimed it was off.... and actually it was off according to the tester.......apparently they had a neutral crossed or the ground wired wrong....

I was kneeling on my right knee in water when I touched the bottom element.....It was only half charge of 110v but I let out a little squeal when it bit me...:laughing::laughing: 

I was lucky that the ground was only across the right side of my body and not across ..


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## 504Plumber (Jan 26, 2011)

Master Mark said:


> I never trust a landlord or homeowner
> 
> I got lit up on a water heater a while back cause they claimed it was off.... and actually it was off according to the tester.......apparently they had a neutral crossed or the ground wired wrong....
> 
> ...


Had that happen to me, except I'm the one that turned it off. Somehow they had the heater hooked up off of two different breakers, my light meter didn't beep or light, my analog meter learned me something that day.


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

I never trust anyone when they tell me the water is off. It's my responsibility if the place floods. 

One time an electrician told me power was off to an elec. W/H. It was in a common area for a multi-family bldg. There were several W/H's in that common area, and the electricians were there that day working. I was called to diagnose a W/H. I checked the W/H that the electrician told me was off, and sure enough it had 240 volts going to it! So, I NEVER believe anyone when they tell me water or electic or gas, etc. is off..... I must verify it for myself.......

Turned out, the breakers were mis-marked. The electrician didn't verify the way the breakers were labeled.


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## Mississippiplum (Sep 30, 2011)

I always check to make sure what im working on is turned off, last thing ya need is to flood or burn the area around you down.


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## beachplumber (Feb 7, 2010)

They,re calling u for a reason
Don,t assume they know


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

I have melted more screw drivers than you can count....

Even though the power is apparently turned off .. I always short out the wires with my screw driver... Lots of times it was still on.


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## Mississippiplum (Sep 30, 2011)

Always be careful with equipment with capacitors.


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## Epox (Sep 19, 2010)

I watched a ho turn off the breaker he installed himself. It was one of those timer switches so did'nt use the actual breaker in panel. I removed and replaced the wh and upon reconnecting wiring figured out the hard way the ground and one hot leg were crossed. Sheesh,,,,,, Like RW I use the screw driver touch now.


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## MikeS (Oct 3, 2011)

I carry a pocket sized non contact voltage detector. Only about 8 bucks at most hardware stores. No need to melt screwdrivers.


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## damnplumber (Jan 22, 2012)

I had to learn the hard way also


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

This will be the screwdriver I use....


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## Mississippiplum (Sep 30, 2011)

Redwood said:


> This will be the screwdriver I use....


I use a similar one made by greenlee

sent from the jobsite porta-potty


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