Hit 500 panel swaps this year and it changed my whole view on the job

I was just going through my service tickets from the last twelve months and the number hit me, 500 panel swaps. For years I thought of that job as a simple part swap, just a way to get a customer onto newer tech. But after doing so many, I've seen it's where you really learn a system. You're not just swapping a box, you're tracing every old wire, seeing how the last guy did the power taps, and finding all the weird little problems the old panel was hiding. It's the best training for troubleshooting I've ever had, way better than any class. I used to dread them, now I see them as a puzzle. Has anyone else had a job they hated turn into their best teacher like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

nathan_barnes7d ago

That's a huge number, congrats. I gotta push back a little on calling it the best training though. It's great for learning old wiring, but you're only seeing broken or outdated stuff. You miss out on learning proper new installs from the ground up. That balance is key. Still, 500 of anything will teach you a ton.

holly_williams7d ago

I used to agree with you until I saw how many new builds had hidden problems from the first inspection.