I am somewhat new here, Nice to see LV discussion. - Electrician Talk - Professional Electrical Contractors Forum

lortech · 05-09-2012, 01:49 AM

I have a background in low voltage Voice/date plus..PC desktop experience. Out of the two, I prefer doing low voltage installations. Its just something I do enjoy and have been good at. Being that I am a subcontractor on behalf of a National, the company is not willing to be my goto contact as a job reference. That is there policy. I say this, because the volume of work is not enough and I would prefer to work for a employer. Anyone ever get into a fix like this?

Secondly, any low voltage techs here also have a interest in doing regular electrician work to be more marketable? I will be taking my pre-enterance test into electrician apprenticeship though the union here in Vancouver BC. The entrance test requires that I pass physics 11 and math 11. I took those classes two years ago so, I would have to freshen up on those requirements.

Does anyone here know of any electrician companies in Vancouver BC who would like to take on a mature, knowledgeable, dependable low voltage technician and indenture into a electrician apprenticeship?

Thanks

HARRY304E · 05-09-2012, 04:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lortech

I have a background in low voltage Voice/date plus..PC desktop experience. Out of the two, I prefer doing low voltage installations. Its just something I do enjoy and have been good at. Being that I am a subcontractor on behalf of a National, the company is not willing to be my goto contact as a job reference. That is there policy. I say this, because the volume of work is not enough and I would prefer to work for a employer. Anyone ever get into a fix like this?

Secondly, any low voltage techs here also have a interest in doing regular electrician work to be more marketable? I will be taking my pre-enterance test into electrician apprenticeship though the union here in Vancouver BC. The entrance test requires that I pass physics 11 and math 11. I took those classes two years ago so, I would have to freshen up on those requirements.

Does anyone here know of any electrician companies in Vancouver BC who would like to take on a mature, knowledgeable, dependable low voltage technician and indenture into a electrician apprenticeship?

Thanks

Yes it is marketable so in the future once you become an Electrician you can do just that if you want,.

Good luck on the test...

zwodubber · 05-10-2012, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HARRY304E

Yes it is marketable so in the future once you become an Electrician you can do just that if you want,.

Good luck on the test...

Exactly what Harry said, 1 week i'm doing this

Next week could be this

I love the variety

mikeh32 · 05-10-2012, 11:31 PM

Here in chicago, we have dedicated low voltage guys, and then we have the electricians.

**** changes sooo fast in low voltage, that you really have to focus just on that to stay current.

NacBooster29 · 05-12-2012, 06:18 PM

The concepts never change. And frankly having the lv knowledge makes you that much more of an.asset. any monkey can run pipe and pull wire . I'm glad to get all the fire alarm jobs other guys are not wanting I can work as much as I physically can. I usually do fire alarm installs run conduit mc cable . Lay out circuits. Create points list and work with programmer to get systems up and running. Also I've done my fair share of access systems cameras, and burg systems. All while being a real life electrician.

lortech · 05-12-2012, 09:02 PM

And most importantly, can or is your income enough to qualify to buy a house?
$
^
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The cost of living is | though the roof here in BC. Cost of Realestate, well , I will never be able to buy a house when average cost is $400,000 -$800,000

Thinking of possibly moving back to the states to work.

GEORGE D · 05-12-2012, 10:36 PM

I would love to have LV under the belt but as of now, I have 0 experience/clue as to what all it consists of. Like everyone else, I've wired in Tele/data/tv lines in New homes but never had an idea what really goes on beyond that. I see these data rooms on some of my jobs with all the racks/cabinets and cables spilling everywhere and wish I could do a complete install like that. As for fire alarm, what all consists of being certified to do that? Also any suggestions or advise to get alittle more knowledgeable with LV?

lortech · 05-12-2012, 11:34 PM

60 hz passing though a wire is not a big deal.

Having mhz passing though a wire is a very big deal. you cannot kink, pierce cat5. The cable has to be terminated and tested properly. If alot of data is to be pushed though it, and its at the 100 meter limit, then its best to get the cable citified. Cirtifier cost $3,000-$5,000. Cable needs to be routed to correct port and it needs to be labeled. It cannot run next to high voltage cable and if cable is to be installed in a area with motors, then Stp cable needs to be installed.

All cat3,cat5, 25 pair cable is terminated to color codes.

The next big push after cat6 is cat7a with its very interesting jacks and jack usage/arrangement.

The fun part, is finding a cat3 pair terminated onto a bix or 66 block mixed in with hundreds of other pairs for one business.

mikeh32 · 05-13-2012, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lortech

60 hz passing though a wire is not a big deal.

Having mhz passing though a wire is a very big deal. you cannot kink, pierce cat5. The cable has to be terminated and tested properly. If alot of data is to be pushed though it, and its at the 100 meter limit, then its best to get the cable citified. Cirtifier cost $3,000-$5,000. Cable needs to be routed to correct port and it needs to be labeled. It cannot run next to high voltage cable and if cable is to be installed in a area with motors, then Stp cable needs to be installed.

All cat3,cat5, 25 pair cable is terminated to color codes.

The next big push after cat6 is cat7a with its very interesting jacks and jack usage/arrangement.

The fun part, is finding a cat3 pair terminated onto a bix or 66 block mixed in with hundreds of other pairs for one business.

I have worked on systems from the early 1900s, and today... All in the same room.

Gotta love that part too.

Ty Wrapp · 05-14-2012, 01:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lortech

.

The fun part, is finding a cat3 pair terminated onto a bix or 66 block mixed in with hundreds of other pairs for one business.

I usually tone out an unused pair from the jack to the 66 block in that situation

TOOL_5150 · 05-14-2012, 01:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lortech

60 hz passing though a wire is not a big deal.

Having mhz passing though a wire is a very big deal. you cannot kink, pierce cat5. The cable has to be terminated and tested properly. If alot of data is to be pushed though it, and its at the 100 meter limit, then its best to get the cable citified. Cirtifier cost $3,000-$5,000. Cable needs to be routed to correct port and it needs to be labeled. It cannot run next to high voltage cable and if cable is to be installed in a area with motors, then Stp cable needs to be installed.

All cat3,cat5, 25 pair cable is terminated to color codes.

The next big push after cat6 is cat7a with its very interesting jacks and jack usage/arrangement.

The fun part, is finding a cat3 pair terminated onto a bix or 66 block mixed in with hundreds of other pairs for one business.

Some of us can do all that, as well as residential and commercial wiring

Matty88 · 05-14-2012, 03:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TOOL_5150

Some of us can do all that, as well as residential and commercial wiring

And a few us can do all that and fire alarms, home security, & fiber optic too ****

chewy · 05-14-2012, 04:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lortech

60 hz passing though a wire is not a big deal.

Having mhz passing though a wire is a very big deal. you cannot kink, pierce cat5. The cable has to be terminated and tested properly. If alot of data is to be pushed though it, and its at the 100 meter limit, then its best to get the cable citified. Cirtifier cost $3,000-$5,000. Cable needs to be routed to correct port and it needs to be labeled. It cannot run next to high voltage cable and if cable is to be installed in a area with motors, then Stp cable needs to be installed.

All cat3,cat5, 25 pair cable is terminated to color codes.

The next big push after cat6 is cat7a with its very interesting jacks and jack usage/arrangement.

The fun part, is finding a cat3 pair terminated onto a bix or 66 block mixed in with hundreds of other pairs for one business.

Have you got any literature on CAT7a last I heard CAT7 was superceded by CAT6a.

chewy · 05-14-2012, 04:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matty88

And a few us can do all that and fire alarms, home security, & fiber optic too ****

Jack of all trades, master of none mate, haha.

BBQ · 05-14-2012, 04:33 AM

Electricians have always been prime donne but data guys are much more so.

chewy · 05-14-2012, 04:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BBQ

Electricians have always been prime donne but data guys are much more so.

Reading some sparkys comments on extra low voltage you would think they were bullied by data guys at school or something, haha.

BBQ · 05-14-2012, 04:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chewy

Reading some sparkys comments on extra low voltage you would think they were bullied by data guys at school or something, haha.

Reading some posts by data guys leads you to believe they live in a bubble and not the real world.

Big push for the next great standard, of course 90% of customers do not run cat5 to capacity so who is pushing for the next standard?

Likely only those who sell those products.

chewy · 05-14-2012, 05:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BBQ

Reading some posts by data guys leads you to believe they live in a bubble and not the real world.

Big push for the next great standard, of course 90% of customers do not run cat5 to capacity so who is pushing for the next standard?

Likely only those who sell those products.

Its more of a clear plastic partition in my parents lounge rather than a bubble.

zwodubber · 05-15-2012, 02:05 AM

I run everything from cat5,6 etc.. for office networks and when there is no LV I'm running pipe, installing switchgear and pulling and feeding 500MCM.

Both trades have certain skills required to do the jobs correctly. I was in IT for 7 years and have new respect for sparkys, however I still prefer LV. I like designing and implementing from the first pull to the last termination and seeing the network fire up. On the other hand I like days spent on a lift running pipe all day and energizing panels to see a building come to life.

What I do now sure beats sitting in the same office everyday and whether it High or low voltage I love being out in the field and at different sites all the time.

B4T · 05-15-2012, 02:11 AM

The size of that wall is deceiving until you realize those are 4X12 pieces of drywall stacked up..