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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 28
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Times is changging. Electricity and telecomunications will soon be unseparable.

How do we benefit from this?

Should we( electricians) be the ones to push regulations under the code. Does that means more standards, safety, work?

Topic is not related only for Canada.


“If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there”.
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 7,381
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Mer:

Here in New Jersey tele/data (commercial) is installed either by ECs or tele/data contractors that hold a State issued "Wiring Exemption Card", which is basically a license for tele/data installation.

We also have a Fire Alarm & Burg Alarm licenses for those installations, both resi & comm.

For a long period of time I often wondered why some ECs did not install tele/data, cable TV, and other low voltage wiring.

Hope this helps you


John
Joined: Jul 2004
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G
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Florida lets an unlimited ED do data/phone LV too although few are really trained for data.
There is a specialty contractor license for LV only.


Greg Fretwell
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 886
H
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For a long period of time I often wondered why some ECs did not install tele/data, cable TV, and other low voltage wiring.


Because they are being honest, many do not know how. Unfortunately most of the ones that do do the work only think they know how or just throw something in for the money.

Just because your license says you can and your supply house sells the material doesn't make you qualified. You need training and experience.

Should we( electricians) be the ones to push regulations under the code. Does that means more standards, safety, work?


What you don't understand is that these are separate trades and they aren't part of an EC's scope of work. So your statement that they are inseparable is not quite true. The electrical trade would like to control them but the current position of the construction industry has been to make LV a separate entity from electrical as shown by it's own division in the master format.

-Hal

Last edited by hbiss; 03/27/11 01:29 AM.
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 28
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Originally Posted by hbiss


What you don't understand is that these are separate trades and they aren't part of an EC's scope of work.

-Hal



Who are the people who can work in this field then. Before telecom was not part of electrician concern as long as it is extra low voltage. Now it is diffrent.

I say that all codes are made by people from the field. We are one of them and we should help to bring those regulations.
With all respect now at schools they tech us about splicing fiberoptics and programing.

Personally-I don't want to be an assambler.


“If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there”.
Joined: Jul 2004
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I agree the trade is going to split. You are going to have guys who just want to work on big fat copper lots of amps and magnetic controllers the size of a small car then you will have guys who are working on computer systems that happen to be connected by wire, some of it pretty big.


Greg Fretwell
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 7,381
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Hbiss replied to this:For a long period of time I often wondered why some ECs did not install tele/data, cable TV, and other low voltage wiring.

"Because they are being honest, many do not know how. Unfortunately most of the ones that do do the work only think they know how or just throw something in for the money.

Just because your license says you can and your supply house sells the material doesn't make you qualified. You need training and experience."

No doubt that training is necessary, and required for data/comm, security systems, card access, CCTV! I make mention of that fact to the apprentices at Vo-Tech.

Yes, I was one of the guys that liked the big, fat copper, big transformers, panels, etc.


John
Joined: Jul 2004
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I lived in both worlds and I like the fat copper better myself. There is something reassuring hearing a huge magnetic controller clunking in and seeing a whole building light up. wink

You certainly can't say one requires more skill than the other, it is just a different skill set.

I do think we will be seeing a lot of cross training as electronic controllers continue the move into the equipment vaults. Smart homes, smart commercial buildings and the smart grid will make us all computer guys.


Greg Fretwell
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 984
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First let me say that I have a lot of respect for the folks who do LV wiring and IT installations and they know it.

That being said, I like to lightheartedly kid them that they chose their line of work because some of us can't handle the really big electrons...and some of us can't handle the really little electrons.

I think it takes a different temperament to deal with wrestling a 500 kcmil into a lug than it does to finesse a 24 AWG without untwisting or overbending it.

Folks who can do both well are getting very scarce.
I can see a day in the very near future when there will be separate Subs to handle Power wiring and Communications wiring.


Ghost307
Joined: Apr 2002
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Ghost:
You hit it right. I personally do not have the patience for the 'little wire', nor do I have the hands for it either. Many years of THHN/THWN & the 'big stuff' has taken its toll on my hands. I replaced all the phone lines in my home last year, and the terminations were tough.

I agree with you on the respect also. I have done inspections on three large data centers recently, and the cabling installs were really outstanding!! I commented to the installers "nice job"! One foreman was shocked!


John
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