what was your favorite encounter with an engineer/Tech/general public.

[promacjoe]

While watching a YouTube video, the subject of some engineers not knowing real-world scenarios came up. And it reminded me of something that happened to me years ago.

Back in the late 70s and 80s, I was installing air-conditioners on automobiles. They had just gone to electronic thermostats. The first shipment that we got work fine. The second run was cutting off prematurely. At first I thought it was something I did wrong. So I double checked everything, nothing helped. I finally called the company and spoke to an engineer. They were frantic. It was the middle of summer, their peak season, and they had a Major problem. all of their units were not cooling. When I asked the engineer what I could do to solve this problem, he said there was nothing I could do, they were having to redesign the whole thermostat, so it would be adjustable. I would just have to wait and it would take a month or so to fix it. After a few more comments I finally asked them how about putting a resistor in line with the temperature sensor or the potentiometer. The phone got deathly quiet. After a few seconds I asked him will that work. He said yes yes. I said, So you will authorize it, he said yes yes do it. So I went down to the local RadioShack, bought some resistors and a potentiometer to make sure I got the temperature right. I dialed in the temperature that I needed, measured the resistance, and install the resistor. problem solved. I know he turned around and said I've got the answer. Because the next batch of units we got, all had that resistor in it. Unfortunately after they got the thermostat fixed, they left the resistor in which presented another problem. So I wound up with a drawer full of resistors that I had to remove.

another incident, involved a retired mechanical engineer from Ford motor company. He had converted an old Lincoln to run on propane. The way the propane lines were run, to me were absolutely criminal. He tied them directly to the rear axle. Which means they moved every time he hit a bump. When he opened up the trunk to show us the propane tank, I smell the propane, and told him he had a leak. he said no it's just the exhaust, it's normal. I went over to the tire machine, and grab the soap swab. Running it over a couple of fittings, it started bubbling. I said you got a leak, you need to have it fixed quick. You don't need to be driving this car. He looked at it, and said I better get that fixed.

It just reminds me that engineers are trained to think in a complicated manner. Some of the simplest things just go right by them. But the good ones think outside the box.


I know many of you are engineers, but what is your favorite encounter been with an engineer.

[dr.diesel]

I know many of you are engineers, but what is your favorite encounter been with an engineer.

Engineers are some of the smartest dumb people I've ever met.   

I watched a ME once checking engine oil on his vehicle, he unscrewed the oil fill cap and just "looked" into the valve cover.  Not seeing an oil level he started pouring by the quart, after 3 full bottles I finally stopped him.

He'd have filled the entire crankcase full and drove off if I'd not been there.   

I've had engineers tell me during job interviews that basic vehicle inspection (like checking fluids) is too difficult so they simply don't bother.         

[SL4P]

I have to be the first to mention Bob Roohparvar at Batteriser...

[vk6zgo]

At one job,we had a rather "bodgie" ribbon cable which used a "D connector",with a 10k resistor soldered internally across a couple of pins.
This was because the original (non-Engineer) designer had neglected to include the resistor on the PCB it terminated on.

Our "Ginger Beer" was perusing this bit of circuitry,& determined that the resistor value was too high,& should have been around 1.0k .

It was decided to make up some new cables with the correct resistor value,send them off around the world & get the local reps
to install them (a particularly difficult job,due to the way the cable was routed).

I suggested,"Why not just connect a 1.2k resistor across those two pins in one of the small enclosures sold to make up breakout boxes?"
That would plug directly in line, the cable wouldn't have to be disturbed,& the parallel combination would be about 1071 Ohms.

After a couple of hours mulling it over,the Engineer & the other "powers that be" agreed!

[CatalinaWOW]

I'm an engineer, but I don't mind picking on myself and my colleagues.  I've got two stories, but the fun would be even better if the OP didn't mind opening this up to two way problems, letting the engineers talk about their favorite encounters with technicians, or both could talk about their favorite encounters with the great unwashed public.

Story 1 - A product was undergoing environmental evaluation prior to production.  24 hours a day in a thermal chamber, on a vib stand or being dropped and otherwise abused.  I was on call for the engineering team to resolve any problems the testers encountered.  A frantic weekend night call came from the test engineers.  "The product stopped working.  The instruments are showing nothing."  Drove down to the plant and was able to diagnose the problem instantly.  The interface electronics to the UUT were powered by a cable plugged into a nearby wall outlet.  Or at least they were supposed to be.  Apparently proximity doesn't count for power cords.

Story 2 - Another product, this time the prototype processor is in the software lab being run through the paces.  Another frantic call and a rush trip over to the lab, "because something just doesn't seem right".  Upon arrival, all I had to do was ask if the problem had to do with the 3 foot flames coming out of the processor cabinet, which was right behind the seat of the software developer.  Why the flames?  Well there were some power analog drivers on the output end of this unit, and when run full out there was a required duty cycle.  Turns out FR8 will burn if you push it hard enough.  Duty cycles are something I have seen software developers ignore on many occasions.  Doesn't always result in giant flames, but often results in expensive and time consuming repairs.  So much so that it is usually worth it to design in protection circuitry, at least in the prototypes used for software development.

[promacjoe]

if the OP didn't mind opening this up to two way problems, letting the engineers talk about their favorite encounters with technicians, or both could talk about their favorite encounters with the great unwashed public.

Feel free to add any stories you wish, the more the merrier. This was done for laughs anyway, I thought we might be able to learn something in the process. Improve our logic and communication skills.

I'm not an engineer, but I've got a few other stories along those lines as well. Specifically, dealing with other technicians And even dealing with the general public. if this thread goes over well, I may add them to the list.

[Brumby]

Come on - don't be shy.  My son works for an auto parts retailer and one of his stories is very short....

A customer walks in and asks for an oil filter.  When asked what kind of car it was for they replied: "Red."