Today's Electrical Lesson
Years ago, I wanted to learn how to do electrical work so I didn't need to hire an electrician.
A friend did electrical work on his days off from his fireman's job. I asked him if I could be his JSN (jobsite nigger) for a few hours a day to learn the trade, which he gladly accepted my offer.
This dude was pretty straight.. a church goer and shit so I had to remember to kinda watch my mouth and quit saying JC, GD, MF and not talk about poon so much in front of him.
One of my first tasks was to install receptacles and switches in boxes already hung and wired.
I had never noticed before, but all the switches and receptacles have both brass and silver terminal screws on them.
I had changed a few switches and receptacles before, but I guess I never realized there were 2 different colored screws on them.
So on the first one, my mentor showed me how far back to strip the insulation off the wires, and how to bend the perfect hook on the end of the wire for the terminal screw.
He then asked if I knew what wire went to what terminal. I fessed up that prior to today, I never really noticed there were 2 different colored screws. I had only replaced a few and the wire that was on the left went back on the left, same shit for the right wire.
He gave a brief explanation about polarity and reminded me it is very important the hot wire (black) goes to the brass terminal screw.
And of course, the white neutral wire to the silver terminal screw.
Upon completion of the first one by him, it was my turn for the next one.
I think he could sense my hesitation about choosing which wire went to what screw so he said: "I'll make this easy for you to remember, blacks like to steal brass'".
I about pissed myself laughing. That was over 40 years ago and to this day, I will never forget blacks steal brass/black to brass, so I've never had a hot/neutral reverse!
