When were they gonna tell us....

2145 Views 12 Replies 6 Participants Last post by randomkiller, Jan 3, 2008

calimurray

Discussion Starter · Jan 1, 2008

In all my years as an electrician the work has been pretty consistent, you know, pipe a structure, pull some wire, install some switches,outlets,ect.,pretty simple stuff. I have this mentality if it calls for 220v I run 220 and there you go you have 220, yippee I can go home.

But not yet you have to program the system, you have to hook this low voltage wire to this , you have to install the accuators , you have to program this PDA , you have to adddress this also ........,

Everything now a days and tomorrow is automated, you have radio frequencies you have to adjust, relay panels in simple homes , contactors, and transfer switches, circuit boards, stars from mars( which is a hassle), program manuals...........its endless.......

Even my list of jobsite responsibilities have grown, I now have to save all paperwork for any fixture installed, I now have to check for UL listings and verify with inspectors in some places, I have to pick up screws and nails off the floors even if there not ours( or we get blamed you know cause electricians use screws know one else...), we have to break down boxes and throw them in dumpsters, you know how hard it is to get anyone who can do this?

I dont know if I am complaining or excited ! The whole job has become something different, its not just running circuits any more. Trying to figure out new products sometimes can be very frustrating and how do you know?
I find myself waisting the day away on hold with technical support. Only to find what they tell me isnt the same as the manual said and there way always works.

First pool I ever did , I didnt know what was expected of me let me tell you. Those pool installations can be a treat if you like relay and clps.

Needless to say it took a couple pool panel installations before I figured what the pool guy needed!

When were they gonna tell us they were gonna give us more work to do and still pay us the same.

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randomkiller

· #2 · Jan 1, 2008

calimurray said:
In all my years as an electrician the work has been pretty consistent, you know, pipe a structure, pull some wire, install some switches,outlets,ect.,pretty simple stuff. I have this mentality if it calls for 220v I run 220 and there you go you have 220, yippee I can go home.

But not yet you have to program the system, you have to hook this low voltage wire to this , you have to install the accuators , you have to program this PDA , you have to adddress this also ........,

Everything now a days and tomorrow is automated, you have radio frequencies you have to adjust, relay panels in simple homes , contactors, and transfer switches, circuit boards, stars from mars( which is a hassle), program manuals...........its endless.......

Even my list of jobsite responsibilities have grown, I now have to save all paperwork for any fixture installed, I now have to check for UL listings and verify with inspectors in some places, I have to pick up screws and nails off the floors even if there not ours( or we get blamed you know cause electricians use screws know one else...), we have to break down boxes and throw them in dumpsters, you know how hard it is to get anyone who can do this?

I dont know if I am complaining or excited ! The whole job has become something different, its not just running circuits any more. Trying to figure out new products sometimes can be very frustrating and how do you know?
I find myself waisting the day away on hold with technical support. Only to find what they tell me isnt the same as the manual said and there way always works.

First pool I ever did , I didnt know what was expected of me let me tell you. Those pool installations can be a treat if you like relay and clps.

Needless to say it took a couple pool panel installations before I figured what the pool guy needed!

When were they gonna tell us they were gonna give us more work to do and still pay us the same.

Wrong attitude, more work same pay. You need to take all the classes you can on building automation, lighting controls, DDC, PLC, and anything else they offer and become a "commodity", that gets paid over scale. That stuff has been keeping me busy the last seevn years straight. I rarely get dirty anymore, my wife says the saving in soaps and laundry products alone lessened our household budget.

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DPDT

· #3 · Jan 1, 2008

calimurray said:
When were they gonna tell us they were gonna give us more work to do and still pay us the same.

I don't know. Now if you'll excuse me I have to wire up 14 zone valves, 8 circ pumps, two four-zone relay controllers, outdoor sensor, loop sensor, offpeak bypass relay, and a plenum heater for a FRICKIN 1500 SQ FT HOUSE!!!

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randomkiller

· #4 · Jan 1, 2008

DPDT said:
I don't know. Now if you'll excuse me I have to wire up 14 zone valves, 8 circ pumps, two four-zone relay controllers, outdoor sensor, loop sensor, offpeak bypass relay, and a plenum heater for a FRICKIN 1500 SQ FT HOUSE!!!

Sounds like a nice little job. Didn't ya get 8 hours to do it?

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DPDT

· #5 · Jan 1, 2008

randomkiller said:
Sounds like a nice little job. Didn't ya get 8 hours to do it?

That's the problem. Up here we don't get very accurate info from the plumber/hvac guys. You look at a 1500 sq ft house and think "Should be pretty basic.". You walk in after the mechanicals are roughed and the util room looks like an engine room in an aircraft carrier. I know I know we all have to up sell but jeez!

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randomkiller

· #6 · Jan 1, 2008

DPDT said:
That's the problem. Up here we don't get very accurate info from the plumber/hvac guys. You look at a 1500 sq ft house and think "Should be pretty basic.". You walk in after the mechanicals are roughed and the util room looks like an engine room in an aircraft carrier. I know I know we all have to up sell but jeez!

1500 sq ft, it could have two zones of a/c, two hotwater zones, one radiant zone for each room, three snow melt loops, remote controlled mixer in the master bath, networked computer, phone, and tv with satellite to at least two walls in each room, wireless lighting controls in all the common areas.....should I go on?

Sounds like the typical pool cabana in the area on the ocean just east of me.

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randomkiller

· #7 · Jan 1, 2008

I go to the office a couple weeks back, my boss wants to go over the next weeks job. It's a small community sports building reno. He starts off with I had the warehouse guys drop off three large gang boxes with most of the sensors you'll need ........

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DPDT

· #8 · Jan 1, 2008

randomkiller said:
1500 sq ft, it could have two zones of a/c, two hotwater zones, one radiant zone for each room, three snow melt loops, remote controlled mixer in the master bath, networked computer, phone, and tv with satellite to at least two walls in each room, wireless lighting controls in all the common areas.....should I go on?

Sounds like the typical pool cabana in the area on the ocean just east of me.

I'm not complaining really. We do alot of BIG custom summer homes and they're loaded with tricks. I enjoy designing and wiring them up. It's just the little surprises that eat up a day of labor when it wasn't in the bid. Oh well, you just make it up somewhere else.

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DPDT

· #9 · Jan 1, 2008

randomkiller said:
He starts off with I had the warehouse guys drop off three large gang boxes with most of the sensors you'll need ........

:no:

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HighWirey

· #10 · Jan 2, 2008

"Originally Posted by randomkiller
He starts off with I had the warehouse guys drop off three large gang boxes with most of the sensors you'll need ........"

Been there, done that. Reason I stopped bidding HVAC control work was the 'obfuscation' presented by the HVAC PM when he asked for a quote. Some of those PMs were even 'friends'. Just don't bend over in the locker room . . .

Don't get me wrong, I loved control work, but I needed a full deck of playing cards prior to bidding the work! Seldom received that 'full deck'. "And then arrives the other two large gang boxes with most of the sensors you'll need". "Oh yea, this one and that one requires 120 volts."

Example: When the HVAC guy's lo bid EC arrives on MY project, he runs EMT, or worse yet, class 2. My project spec was full strength GRC, yadda yadda.

I stopped just short of one of Randoms anger management classes

Best Wishes

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bigredc222

· #11 · Jan 2, 2008

I'm not the one doing the bidding, I'm just a worker, but that's why I got into the trade. I love that every day is new. You never know what to expect, it keeps you on your toe's. But I do sypathize with owners trying to make a buck, it's really tough these days.

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goose134

· #12 · Jan 3, 2008

Building automation is the way it is going. If you can learn it, do it because that type of work is going to get more prevalent. Building owners are trying to save money on utilities and automation presents them with a way to do that. I don't know about you guys, but there is a lot of cool stuff out there, and I've only seen a bit of it.

Tell you this: Soldier Field's system text messages the house electrician with the panel number, circuit number and type of fault on his pager. SWEET!

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randomkiller

· #13 · Jan 3, 2008

HighWirey said:
"Originally Posted by randomkiller
He starts off with I had the warehouse guys drop off three large gang boxes with most of the sensors you'll need ........"

Been there, done that. Reason I stopped bidding HVAC control work was the 'obfuscation' presented by the HVAC PM when he asked for a quote. Some of those PMs were even 'friends'. Just don't bend over in the locker room . . .

Don't get me wrong, I loved control work, but I needed a full deck of playing cards prior to bidding the work! Seldom received that 'full deck'. "And then arrives the other two large gang boxes with most of the sensors you'll need". "Oh yea, this one and that one requires 120 volts."

Example: When the HVAC guy's lo bid EC arrives on MY project, he runs EMT, or worse yet, class 2. My project spec was full strength GRC, yadda yadda.

I stopped just short of one of Randoms anger management classes

Best Wishes

The company I work for runs under a few different names. They are subs to a few large mechancial equipment suppliers, so we do a lot of control work. We were bought out by a huge electro-mechanical conglomerate a few months back and they have been moving people in and setting up for more control of the business starting this past Tuesday. I have been out on vacation since the 21 Dec 07, so I am heading into the unknown in a short while. Since they have taken over we have been cutting back on plain EC work and only doing electrical work in relationship to the install project we have. So our shop will only be doing control work by March. I have a schedule of classes I will be taking country wide over the next 8 months. It should be an adventure, which is why I got into this trade.

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