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Update: My old boss said never trust a homeowner's amp reading, and I finally saw why
For years I carried a clamp meter and trusted whatever number a homeowner read off to me over the phone. My old boss Ray told me back in 2019 that a homeowner reading amps is worth about as much as a weather guess, and I figured he was just being grumpy. Last Tuesday a lady in Garland swore her dryer was pulling 30 amps and tripping the breaker, so I showed up expecting a bad motor. Turned out her son read the meter with the dryer door open and the drum not even spinning. Real draw was 11 amps on a circuit that should hold, and the actual problem was a worn out breaker that cost her $18. I spent 40 minutes chasing a ghost because I skipped the two minute check I should have done first. Now I want to know how you all handle it when a customer insists their own reading is right before you get there.
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the_jason1d ago
Listened to a podcast episode last month where an electrician said the same thing, homeowners usually read amps at startup or with the wrong setting. Now I just tell folks to text me a pic of the meter and panel so I can see it myself before rolling out. Saves everybody the headache.
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