In addition, our industrial electricians specialize in testing, repair, and maintenance of electrical systems in plants, factories and other types of industrial settings. Our industrial electricians are in high demand due to the large number of businesses that depend on the proper installation and functioning of electrical equipment.

Education Requirements

Let there be no doubt: electricians perform complex work. If you’re interested in entering this field, you’ll need specific knowledge and training. While still in high school, prospective electricians should complete basic math and science courses. After graduating high school, candidates enter an apprenticeship program.

As an apprentice, individuals complete 9000 hours of on-the-job training, practicing skills and working under the supervision of other licensed electricians. An apprenticeship could also include classroom study, either at work or at a community college or trade school. After completing the required hours of work, trainees would take a licensing exam that qualifies them to work as journeyman electricians. Working electricians may choose to continue their education by keeping up-to-date on technology and manufacturing trends.

Typical industrial electrician duties include repairing and maintaining large electrical equipment or installing and testing new systems. Electricians need to understand blueprints and diagrams that show circuits and wiring and will need to gain proficiency in a wide variety of diagnostic tools.

Industrial electricians often work in physically challenging environments. Electricians frequently have to crawl into tight places, climb on machines or work in dark conditions. They may be required to work outside in all types of weather. To excel at the job, our team members remain physically strong, healthy and flexible.

Electricians often have a fixed schedule, but sometimes are required to do shift work or to be on call. Because equipment may need to be repaired at any hour, our staff is prepared to come back to the job site if any emergencies occur.

Job Prospects

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The most dangerous time of the year for electrical fires in Des Moines is undoubtedly during the holiday season. Christmas decorations, in particular, lead to a dizzying amount of house fires each year. On average, over 200 homes burn down each year directly because of Christmas Trees and other decorations, and this figure doesn’t include the small, contained fires and those caused by candles. Needless to say, safety should be a major priority when planning out and putting up your holiday decorations.

Many electrical problems are caused by outdated technology and old incandescent Christmas lights; when you start digging out your decorations, ask yourself if it is time for an upgrade. While more expensive, modern LED Christmas lights use far less power, generate less heat, almost never require bulb replacements, and last far longer than their incandescent ancestors and inexpensive alternatives. In terms of cost alone, the new lights will likely pay for themselves in energy savings after only one, maybe two, holiday season(s).

For instance, running 1,000 incandescent Christmas lights for a month in Iowa will likely cost about $122, whereas the same amount in LED bulbs (which shine brighter, by the way) will cost less than $1.50. That extra $120 can go a long way towards buying a few better presents or do some real good in the community. By upgrading your lights this holiday season, you’re ensuring that you don’t have to hike up your energy bill to decorate the house each year while keeping the family much safer than they would be with your old lights.

For any strand you choose to not upgrade this year, be sure to thoroughly check each strand for frayed wires or cracked bulbs. Incandescent bulbs can easily create a completed electrical circuit with a Christmas Tree, gutter, or just about anything else it may be hung upon, creating a very real fire hazard.

If you decide to get out the extra-tall ladder that you seem to only use to decorate and un-decorate the house each year, take special care to avoid power lines. One of the easiest ways to get injured when using a tall ladder isn’t actually from falling, but from electrocution while moving the ladder. Take the time to locate all power lines before beginning work and always get down and collapse the ladder before moving anywhere around power lines.

No carpeting, drapes, curtains, or other fabrics should ever come into contact with your lights. Furthermore, be sure to never wrap cloth-like decorations around your lights. The mesh commonly found at holiday stores is made for wreathing and often contains metallic elements for a shimmering effect, making it especially potent at conducting electricity and starting fires in the event of a short.

We hope you’re safe this holiday season, but if you happen to overload your circuit breakers or have a concern about the lighting of your holiday decorations, be sure to give us a call right away. The electricians at Electrical Gurus want to help to keep every Des Moines family happy and healthy throughout the holiday season.

Electrical motors are devices that convert electrical energy into mechanical force. They operate on the principles of electromagnetism, using the interaction between winding currents and magnetic fields to generate force. Some motors, like those used in the transportation industry can reverse the effect and generate electricity too, converting force into electricity.

Many industrial plants attribute over 70% of their power consumption to motors, so even a slight increase in efficiency can dramatically cut energy spending and improve profits too.