Dave and Jill Gilmore and their son Bryan rely on this bucket (cherrypicker) truck for some of the high-height jobs they handle through Short Circuit Electric based in Drytown. Photo by: Marcia Oxford

In 1977, Dave Gilmore realized he wasn't making much money and was tired of commuting to Sacramento for electrical work, his specialty for 35 years. His dad, Art, had operated Shenandoah Electric for 10 years in Plymouth, before leaving the area. "I decided it was time I started meeting the needs of his customers, and started Short Circuit Electric in October that year," Gilmore said. Since then, he, his wife, Jill, who handles business office details and their son Bryan, lead foreman for their crew of three, continue operating the longest-established electrical contractor business in Amador.

Gilmore recalled being a youngster when he worked with his dad at the Kaffer's Old Well Motel & Grill in Drytown. "Now Bryan is doing work for them, sort of full circle," he said. "They're amazing people. Chuck is as good as he was when I met him, and Mary Lou makes the best pie ever."

The decision to build their own business has resulted in success for the family and their customers. Short Circuit primarily serves commercial and public sector businesses. Services include providing overhead wiring for parking lots and interior building lighting, repairing electrical signs companies use for promotion and setting permanent power poles. "If you buy a piece of property, I can set up permanent power poles and take the project through the permitting process," Gilmore said. "We meet with PG&E, meet with the county for permits, build and install the pole, essentially take the project through from beginning to end until PG&E hooks up the power." For power pole installation, Gilmore relies on his auger truck, capable of lifting 20,000 pounds.

It's one of five pieces of heavy-duty equipment he and Bryan rely on to do the heavy-duty work customers rely on. Short Circuit uses a bucket truck to lift electricians 41 feet in the air to tackle an elevated project. The company has three other trucks to carry equipment to job sites for regular utility work.

Having their own equipment is a distinct advantage for the Gilmores and their clients. "I don't have to go to Sacramento, find a truck, rent it and then drive back to the site," Gilmore said. "All I have to do is turn the key in one of these trucks ,and I'm on my way. It's a lot faster and more cost effective all the way around. I believe in having the right tools for the right job, and that helps me be much more competitive."

Short Circuit Electric handles a lot of work for Calaveras County schools including lighting for high-ceilinged school multipurpose rooms. Amador County wineries are also among their clients. "We handle service sections, like 400-to 1600-amp services which compare to an average residential amp of 200," Gilmore continued. "We've worked on expansion at Renwood Winery where they added three new buildings. They needed a tremendous amp load for their crush pad, heating, air conditioning and refrigeration. We've worked with Shenandoah Vineyards and Villa Toscano. And we do a lot of overhead lighting in sheds that can be 30 feet high. To get up there, we have two electric scissor lifts that can raise a 12-foot platform 33 feet up in the air. Using one of those, we can get a workman and all the equipment needed to handle overhead lighting and electrical conduit systems."

He applies the same expertise and equipment for customers putting up metal buildings on their property to use as barns, garages or for storage. Gilmore also offers the ability to bend rigid electrical conduits, a technique that saves cost and labor of cutting pipe, threading wire and then rejoining the pipe. "With our newest equipment, we can save the cost of additional parts and do a custom fit," he explained.

To help him stay on top of state and national industry regulations, Gilmore belongs to several professional organizations. He's a member of the National Fire Protection Agency, a company that writes the national electric code, and Bisci, an international company that does data cabling. He is also a Certified Ground Design and Testing Consultant for a Texas-based company. Through that company, he designs, tests and certifies electrical grounding systems to assure they meet rigid requirements related to school and state buildings. He also belongs to the National Technology Transfer Code Division through which he can perfect and update information on grounding systems. He's also a member of FLAC, independent electrical contractors who collaborate on state issues affecting electric contractors and who are represented at the state level by lobbyists.

He expects more and more people to know about On Q Technologies, with which he is also affiliated. Basically, he explained, "I'm a specialist in home management systems, what are called smart houses. A computer runs everything in your house, everything from turning on the toaster, to the lights, computer, entrainment center. From the highway, you can call your home phone and set your burglar alarm, thermostat, turn on some soft music before you even get home. It allows you to manage everything from one central computerized location. It will be a thing of the future, but already customers are calling about this technology." Gilmore also handled wiring for solar and generator systems, often a must in this rural county.

Life is not all work and no play for Gilmore. He's planted an acre vineyard of Zinfandel grapes, which is his backyard landscaping for a spectacular view south on Highway 49. He also collects and drives 10 pre-1932 cars among them a vintage fire engine and a red 1913 Speedster. He and his father-in-law, Gerald "Smitty" Smith, work on the vehicles, all of which are registered and licensed and some of which have appeared in local parades. As for his profession, Gilmore said, "We all enjoy this, I've done other things in my life, and this is what I want to do."

For more information, call 245-3269 or e-mail gilmore@centralhouse.net