How Old Was You When You Became Interested In Electrics?

[OnlQQker]

I was 7. I painstakingly removed 2 screws from a power socket with a small pair of scissors and then tried to unscrew the live in the same fashion.
This is how I became painfully became interested in them, how about you?

 

[Pete999]

About 1961 when I was 16, when I found out I wouldn't make it as a Carpenter/Joiner and the only Apprenticeship I could get was an Electrical one, good choice as it turned out, been all over the world working in the Electrical Maintenance and installation field, Domestic, Commercial and Industrial as well as Security.

 

[PEG]

I suppose i would have been about the same age,6 or7,dropped off at a neighbours,on a Summers day,for supervision.....
Decided to remove the pond pump,and strip it completely. Got an almighty -------ing,then,was dragged back round,after tea,as the husband of the lady,could not assemble said pump,and as my mother still tells it,i rebuilt it...like a practised Taliban operative,builds up an AK47...

I reckon it taught me more about human nature,than glands and impellers...

Star tike,at dinner,little star by supper...one man's meat,etc

 

[Pete999]

About 1961 when I was 16, when I found out I wouldn't make it as a Carpenter/Joiner and the only Apprenticeship I could get was an Electrical one, good choice as it turned out, been all over the world working in the Electrical Maintenance and installation field, Domestic, Commercial and Industrial as well as Security.

Am I the only one being truthful here????

 

[diditrain]

I was a late bloomer, but I received my first shock, aged about 11. I was trying to replace an pendant lamp, in the dark, standing on a table on the landing, overlooking the stairwell. My finger went where it shouldn’t have gone. The rest is history, along with my hairline.

 

[Midwest]

Think I was about 7, when I used to take great delight at shorting Out my Dads spare car battery out in the shed, short piece of wire across the terminals, and watch it melt. Great fun.

It wasn’t until the last day of school at 16, when they said that’s it, no more school for you. Sort of panicked, wonder what I was going to do. Remembered the bloke, who rewired parent’s house, thought that might be good.

Got an interview for electrical apprenticeship a few weeks later. My Mum insisted on attending the interview with me. Bloody embarrassing, especially as the contracts manager had a Playboy calendar on the wall. Mum got me the job mind, bless her.

 

[Baddegg]

When I got fed up with lumping 7x3 timbers about!...?

 

[davesparks]

I've had an interest in electronics and physics for as long as I can remember. I became interested in stage lighting at secondary school.
I did work experience at a stage lighting company at 15 and continued to do occasional work with them.
At 18 I left college with a few A levels and no idea what I would do next.
My grandfather had a word with the owner of the local building company (my grandfather had worked for his father when he owned the company) and got me an interview for the electricians apprentice. They had already selected an apprentice but as a favour to my grandfather they gave me an interview and then gave me the job over the other guy. They have him the plumbing apprenticeship instead and he has done very well out of it and we are still friends now so no hard feelings there.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

When I was a few years old, apparently I kept asking questions about things, often domestic appliances. Why does the heater get hot? Why does the lamp glow? Being a knowledgeable sort of chap, my dad kept answering them, but also started encouraging me to answer the questions by reading books. We did some projects, made electronic gadgets from magazine articles, built a steam engine from castings etc. He had always been interested in photography and chemistry, so I was taught how to develop and print a film and other practical crafts and scientific pursuits. But it was always electronics that held my interest, so eventually that won out, and I loved theatre, so I soon found a niche in electrical and electronic work for the performing arts, live production and the movies.

A lot of it is down to environment and having the right mentors. I was really lucky in my early teens once I had become at least a bit useful, people were generous with their time showing me how to do stuff and making me practice until I did it well. I'd like to give them all credit but it would be a long list for one post.

 

[7029 dave]

I was about 12, when 15 worked with a family friends Electrical company as Saturday boy and school holidays.

 

[telectrix]

aged 10 i made an "alarm system" consistind of some bits of meccano , insulating tape and bell wire, under the top step of the stairs, coupled to a batteyr and a buzzer in my bedroom... so when my dad came up the stairs at 11.00 p.m., i could turn off radio luxemberg and pretend to be asleep.

 

[Pete999]

I suppose i would have been about the same age,6 or7,dropped off at a neighbours,on a Summers day,for supervision.....
Decided to remove the pond pump,and strip it completely. Got an almighty -------ing,then,was dragged back round,after tea,as the husband of the lady,could not assemble said pump,and as my mother still tells it,i rebuilt it...like a practised Taliban operative,builds up an AK47...

I reckon it taught me more about human nature,than glands and impellers...

Star tike,at dinner,little star by supper...one man's meat,etc

I said 16 not 6 or 7 Mate

 

[DPG]

I said 16 not 6 or 7 Mate

He was replying to the OP who asked the question though.

 

[PEG]

I said 16 not 6 or 7 Mate

Yep,it was a reply to OP,but you got in front of me

...i had done my first solo, full kitchen/bathroom rewire,at 15 years of age,so,at 16,was moving on to "other" things

 

[plugsandsparks]

Around 9 or 10 i think, mum bought me an electronic projects kit fro xmas, built radios, flashing lights etc.. by 13 i was building control gear for my radio controlled car, you could buy it all in kit form, had to cycle 25miles each way to get the stuff, times were hard, lol
by 16 i was well into auto electrics and car mechanics as my brother was 3 years older so i worked on his cars. I think i got my first 240v shock , testing a washing machine motor at 13 ish............
By the time i started apprenticeship i was already battle scarred....