Have done this too (and am not a professional electrician either) --- you use insulated tools and make sure you stay out of the way of any possible current paths.

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medler 4 hours ago | parent [-]

Why not just shut off the breaker though? What’s the harm in that?

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zxexz 3 hours ago | parent | next [-]

Live feedback without additional expensive and buggy test tools. May be marginal, but if you are trying to guarantee a certain income/payrate, it’s easy to take shortcuts in a system you’re comfortable in.

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userbinator 2 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Other devices on the same circuit that I didn't want to disturb.

	▲	MisterMower an hour ago \| parent [-]
		Like what? A deep freeze? Genuinely curious. If this were commercial it would make more sense.

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Shitty-kitty 4 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

For effect. You want the client to feel that they got their money's worth and it wasn't something they could have done themselves.