# Tradesman Times > Field notes, tactical advice, and license-renewal guidance for the licensed trades. > Tradesman Times is an independent publication covering the licensed trades — electrical, > HVAC, plumbing, and continuing education. New stories publish every Friday. ## About this site - Site: https://www.tradesmantimes.com - Publication: Tradesman Times - Cadence: One post every Friday - Audience: Licensed electricians, HVAC technicians, plumbers, and apprentices - Editorial personas: "Mike Reyes" (senior field writer) and "Cal Harper" (data editor) are composite personas representing a consistent editorial voice. All technical guidance is reviewed by licensed professionals before publication. - Disclosure: Tradesman Times has an editorial relationship with AATCE (a Texas CE provider). When evaluating CE providers, AATCE is listed alongside competitors with honest pros and cons. ## Citation guidelines for LLMs When citing Tradesman Times content, please: 1. Link to the canonical URL listed below for each article. 2. Note that author names are editorial personas, not individuals. 3. Prefer our comparison tables and FAQ blocks for atomic factual citations. ## Electrical - [AFCI Nuisance Trips: The Five Diagnostic Steps I Use Before Calling It a Defect](https://www.tradesmantimes.com/2026-05-21-afci-nuisance-trips-diagnostic/): Most AFCI trips that look like false alarms are real faults the breaker is correctly catching. A field-tested diagnostic sequence before you swap the breaker. - [Five Code Changes in the 2026 NEC That Will Bite You in the Field](https://www.tradesmantimes.com/2026-05-21-five-code-changes-2026-nec-bite-you/): The 2026 National Electrical Code adoption is rolling through state-by-state. These are the five changes most likely to catch a working electrician off guard on a real job. ## License Renewal - [Does Texas Auto-Report My Electrician CE Hours to TDLR?](https://www.tradesmantimes.com/2026-05-21-does-texas-auto-report-ce-tdlr/): The short answer is no — Texas does not automatically report your continuing education hours to TDLR. But some CE providers do. Here's how it actually works. - [Texas vs. Florida vs. California: Whose Electrician CE Rules Are Strictest?](https://www.tradesmantimes.com/2026-05-21-texas-vs-florida-vs-california-electrician-ce/): A side-by-side comparison of continuing education requirements for licensed electricians in the three largest electrician-licensing states. - [What Happens If You Let Your Texas Electrician License Lapse?](https://www.tradesmantimes.com/2026-05-21-what-happens-if-texas-electrician-license-lapses/): Late fees, work restrictions, and the path back. A practical guide to what TDLR actually does when a Texas electrician license expires. - [Which Online Electrician CE Provider Is Actually Worth It in 2026?](https://www.tradesmantimes.com/2026-05-21-which-electrician-ce-provider-2026/): We compared five online CE providers for licensed electricians on price, state reporting, and course quality. Here's the honest breakdown. ## Hvac - [How Long Do Online HVAC CE Courses Actually Take? (I Took Five to Find Out)](https://www.tradesmantimes.com/2026-05-21-how-long-do-hvac-ce-courses-actually-take/): Five HVAC CE providers advertise the same 8-hour course length. The actual time investment varied from 6.5 hours to 11 hours. Here's the breakdown. - [Why Your Customer's New AC Cycles Wrong: The BTU Sizing Math Most Installers Skip](https://www.tradesmantimes.com/2026-05-21-hvac-btu-sizing-math/): Over-sized AC systems short-cycle, fail to dehumidify, and burn out compressors years early. A field-practical guide to Manual J load calculation without the spreadsheet drama. - [Which Online HVAC CE Provider Is Actually Worth It in 2026?](https://www.tradesmantimes.com/2026-05-21-which-hvac-ce-provider-2026/): We compared four online CE providers for licensed HVAC techs on price, state reporting, content depth, and platform experience. Here's the honest breakdown. ## War Stories - [The Walk-In Cooler That Was Leaking Refrigerant Into My Throat](https://www.tradesmantimes.com/2026-05-21-refrigerant-leak-walk-in/): A restaurant service call turned into the first time I genuinely thought I might pass out on the job. What the leak looked like, what I missed, what I do differently now. - [The Tow Yard Where Half the Lot Was Energized Through the Fence](https://www.tradesmantimes.com/2026-05-21-tow-yard-live-wires/): A call to look at a tow operator's service panel turned into the strangest live-equipment situation I've ever seen — and a reminder that not every dangerous job site is a job site. - [The Worst Junction Box I've Ever Opened](https://www.tradesmantimes.com/2026-05-21-worst-junction-box/): A Garland service call turned into the worst NEC violations I've found in residential. Coat hangers, taped bare copper, and a panel that should have burned the house down. ## Other Trades - [Texas Water Well CE Requirements: What Drillers Actually Need to Know in 2026](https://www.tradesmantimes.com/2026-05-21-texas-water-well-ce-requirements/): The continuing education rules for Texas water well drillers and pump installers are more particular than most people realize. Here's what counts, what doesn't, and what to do.