sundance-communications.com/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information Electricians runnin cable again!

You know what blows about all of this? When our area adopted the NEC which required low voltage licenses several years ago, I was told that in order to qualify to apply for the licenses and take the exams, I needed 2 years documented experience under a licensed electrician. How crazy is that? Obviously, I appealed and had to write a dissertation about why I was qualified. I actually use a master electrician and his son as subs sometimes WHO I TRAINED before I'd let them do any work. Explain that one to the local permit offices.

To add as I read through the responses again, don't your jurisdictions require permits and inspections? They're pretty strict here, even petty. Hal, we use those "cute" cabinets in residential applications and they work pretty well if used correctly. All the network stuff fits in quite nicely. I'll agree that there are plenty of hacks out there trying to look cool installing them.

Hal, we use those "cute" cabinets in residential applications and they work pretty well

Yeah, I assume you get one big enough so you can get all your equipment inside.

I still don't know where you are going with the line cord and wall wart for the router or hub though even if you do install it in the cabinet. Do these things have the option for a 120v receptacle inside?

Really, for telephone these are no different than any other recessed wall cabinet in commercial use. They usually have a piece of plywood on the inside rear so you can install your blocks, spools etc. The can be useful if you have no other place, like a closet or basement to locate this stuff. They make no sense if you do.

-Hal

They might be "cute", but only designed for residential applications with NO phone system or tie cables. The phone termination modules are all bridged unless you terminate voice cables on a data module. There's no module that allows anything more than a 4-pair, so for a tie cable, you have to rig something up on your own. It makes no sense to me why someone would use these in a commercial environment. Actually, they make no sense to me in any envrionment.

Every customer I have who is using them still ends up calling us. It's funny how they pay tens of thousands of dollars to the new home builder for "structured wiring" designed and installed by electricians. They then pay us to service it because the customer hasn't a clue how to troubleshoot it.

You don't want to even get me started on the licensing/permits thing. I will be here all night and we all know what happens then.

I was told that in order to qualify to apply for the licenses and take the exams, I needed 2 years documented experience under a licensed electrician.

That's one of my peeves too. I have a buddy who is an EC (I won't say how we refer to him in the open forum) who I've had this discussion with. He can't understand what I'm talking about. He passed the test so he is qualified to do anything.

The EC journeyman's exam of about 200 questions has only maybe 5 questions on it relating to telecom and sound. One could ignore those and pass with flying colors as I'm sure happens all the time.

Meanwhile the low voltage exam is something like 100 questions relating only to low voltage. Granted, on both exams there are common questions about business operation, state business law and the NEC regarding low voltage. But, it seems to me that the person taking the low voltage exam would have to know his stuff whereas the EC could slide. So how does the EC get to have seniority? I say if the EC wants to do low voltage make him take and pass the low voltage test.

In Connecticut installers of coax and systems for CATV are licensed not by the board that licenses electricians but another that licenses such things as TV repair businesses. I wonder how many EC's know they are breaking the law?

-Hal

Hal, the only thing I find that fits in the smart-home cabinets is a 110 block without the feet. Use short self-tapping screws to mount, then terminate the 25pair and station cables. Cross-connect and forget it's there.

I have to echo what Ed said. Those voice modules are useless for anything other than a residential installation that will never be changed, and these days if the house is big enough for "structured wiring" at some point you can bet it will be changed.

I have lost system sales because I would have had to tear out the "structured wiring cabinets" and of course the wiring was too short to make it to a 66 block. Customer didn't want to hear it.

-Hal

Tommy, actually in this one (Leviton) there is enough depth to get a 66 block on an 89 bracket in there. If not, I would have taken he door off! :toast:

-Hal

The thing that gets me is the sparkies allways ask are you runnung cat5,And don't have a clue that in order for it to be cat5 there are certain criteria to follow,they think it is about cat5 cable only, it don't matter if it is not supported or runs parallel with AC ,same holes as AC , on and on etc.As long as it is CAT5,In most sparkie installs around here I could run Cat3 properly ,and exceed their CAT5

All of my residential installs either had no phone system or used a KSU-less system like the one from TMC. The DSC panels that I use have knock outs on the bottom that will facilitate 2 outlets. I agree that these won't work on the commercial side.