Wiring for ethernet.

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Clockwork

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I tried the search and I ran a couple of Google searches, but maybe I'm just not wording this correctly. I didn't come up with any answers.

What I would like to know is if I'm wiring a customers home for Ethernet, or running additional coaxial cable (to relocate modems) does that require any form of electrical certifications, permits, etc to do legally? I understand this may vary from state to state but I figured I would ask anyway.
 
No, It sure doesn't in Kansas. I doubt where you live either.

I charge $150 per outlet cat 5 drop including the wire/face plates, I charge $1 per foot for patch cables (extra). If they need a drop down panel that is extra, so is the hub. Through out the office/home I like to have nice face plates rather than cat 5 ends hanging out of the wall. Your local electrical supplier will sell them to you.
 
Its not really about the permits you might want to be worried about. Its about - are you insured / bonded? Because if "SOMETHING" goes wrong... Drill a whole through a water pipe, electrical... or some weird plaster on the wall, with a specific paint job, gets damaged.... your the one who has to fix it or pay for it...


Make sure you at LEAST get bonded and insured. Doesnt cost a whole lot. I have a $1,000,000 policy for $13.00 month.

Arizona - no such law for permits is required. even for weight retaining walls.
 
Wow...just....wow. some of the advice here is just terrible and wrong.

You need to look up low voltage license laws for your state. Several states are requiring it now. I'd provide a link but I'm on my phone.
 
Generally ALL states require a low voltage bond or license with the city your working but this varies.

I make all clients sign a waiver of liability, good enough for me.
 
14049752 said:
Wow...just....wow. some of the advice here is just terrible and wrong.

You need to look up low voltage license laws for your state. Several states are requiring it now. I'd provide a link but I'm on my phone.
Click to expand...

Low voltage, that is what I was missing. Thank you. After Googlin' that I turned up a couple of good bits of information. It would seem that Missouri has no license laws for low voltage work, but some things require you to report to a certain jurisdiction. This seems to only include alarm systems.
 
Missouri appears to be a very confusing state for this subject (as well as electrical), it appears ALL licensing is done at the local level.

Check your local offices for info about their requirements, and if you do work in other municipality check if you need a license for where work is performed, or where you are based form. PS is looks like most countys do require a license for low voltage there...
 
If it's a simple job or just hanging cable across a buildings steel frame, no biggie, but when it comes to a house, or having to drop behind walls, I call a buddy of mine who owns a construction company to do it for me. I give him 50% of the jobs profit.
 
From the research I've done, California appears to require a Low Voltage license from Salifornia State Licensing Board... It's a bit confusing, but that's what I've determined. I would still confirm through CSLB though...
 
The people who write the tickets are City zoning or code enforcement. So I would start with a call to them.

CA has a state electronics and technology license which is $170 per year per worker and its the workers responsibility to get it. I think this is just to track you if they get customer complaints about ethics..and to raise money.

In MO, I wouldn't worry at all. Just go for it.
 
jeubank said:
Its not really about the permits you might want to be worried about. Its about - are you insured / bonded? Because if "SOMETHING" goes wrong... Drill a whole through a water pipe, electrical... or some weird plaster on the wall, with a specific paint job, gets damaged.... your the one who has to fix it or pay for it...


Make sure you at LEAST get bonded and insured. Doesnt cost a whole lot. I have a $1,000,000 policy for $13.00 month.

Arizona - no such law for permits is required. even for weight retaining walls.
Click to expand...

jeubank- I'm extremely curious as to who your insurance provider is! I am prepaid for the year, but do not plan on renewing with my current provider at almost $500/year.
 
I have been looking at getting into this a little more. My state (Wisconsin) doesn't require a low voltage license, while Minnesota does.

Monoprice is a great place to buy keystone jacks, wall plates, low voltage brackets and patch panels. Sometime they stick their name all over products (like the patch panels) which is annoying - just something to keep in mind.

Many electricians try to do CAT5/6 wiring, they do a great job with running the wires where they need to go and making them look tidy (sometimes!) but terrible when it comes to terminating the connections and installing proper jacks/patch panels and keeping everything uniform.

Structured wiring is the way to go. Install wall plates, and patch panels -- rather than just hanging CAT5e cables out the wall and connecting the other end directly into the router. It's also way easier to punch a patch panel than put on RJ45 ends. LABEL STUFF TOO! Nothing worse than going to client site and spending the first half of the job identifying which drop a cable is going to from the panel.

(I am being a little hypocritical as my own store is not labeled...YET)
 
It should be noted that:

The legitimate licensing for wiring is this... if there is a danger from the installation of wiring (High voltage=fire hazard, alarm cable=critical for fire alert, etc) then a licensed person is generally required for installation. Otherwise you usually do not need to be licensed.

Illegitimate licensing.. if your state/area requires a license for CAT5 that is used in a manner that does not serve a critical or life saving function then your state/area is doing it for increased revenue generation and that's it.
 
phaZed said:
It should be noted that:
The legitimate licensing for wiring is this... if there is a danger from the installation of wiring (High voltage=fire hazard, alarm cable=critical for fire alert, etc) then a licensed person is generally required for installation. Otherwise you usually do not need to be licensed.
Illegitimate licensing.. if your state/area requires a license for CAT5 that is used in a manner that does not serve a critical or life saving function then your state/area is doing it for increased revenue generation and that's it.
Click to expand...


Be it as it may, just because you don't agree with a decision to require licensing doesn't mean that (as a professional) you shouldn't get the license. It's really no different than following any other law. Unless you want to go around installing cat5 and call it civil disobedience. :rolleyes:




Tony_Scarpelli said:
Send us the link when you get home. I am curious.
Click to expand...

http://www.neca-neis.org/state/specialty_licensing.cfm

My point about "terrible" advice mostly stemmed from your comment where you basically said "It's not required here, so surely you don't need it." In the end, it turns out that the OP doesn't need the license at the state level....but surely you see the logical fallacy in your advice?
 
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