I was talking with someone earlier today who knows about my interest in alternative energy and specifically solar and wind power. He suggested that I become a certified alternative energy installer (sales included) and also suggested that I look into a trade school for electricians. I'm wondering how long it will take to complete the formal training and what limitations there are on what I can do when, or if, I completed such a program.

It would be necessary to become further certified in solar and wind power installations. I'm interested in being able to wire a solar or wind powered system into a preexisting home. If I completed a trade school course would I be able to do this on my own or would I also need a master (or other) electrician?

Time is a consideration as I don't have six years to do the apprentice thing. Thanks in advance.

Depending on your aptitude, you could learn simply wiring, in a couple weeks. Circuitry will take longer. If you're installing solar panel systems, using a diagram, a couple weeks at a vocational school will do. If you plan on designing electrical connections for different sized panels, a 1 year associates degree in basic electrical engineering will suffice

http://www.elec-toolbox.com/
A handy website for aspirant electricians.
In the UK you can give up your job as a poatato picker in Poland get on an allnight bus to London and be wiring up peoples homes the next day.The UK and only the UK allows anyone off the street to install,design and test and inspect installations without any qualifications whatsoever.The cover all "Instructed Person" term is used to protect companies legally from any comebacks.
Virtually the only work I have had for the last 2 years has been putting right and re-comissioning the crap the bosniacks have installed

I suppose anybody could get employed as a gynocologist for the NHS. It would help, if one wasn't White

A buddy of mine and I have been talking about getting into installing solar panels for months now. Great minds think a like, eh? I was considering a trade school after I got my vehicle paid off.

You need a Journeymen's to do electrical work on your own, which requires 4,000 hours (4 years give or take) of work under a liscenced electrician. However, I believe that anyone, even without formal training, can do electrical work if it is inspected by a liscenced electrician. I'm not entirely sure about that, but I'll try to see if I can confirm it with the master electrician at work tomorrow if I catch him.

On the other hand, it's possible for you to do the roof installation, and then contract out the wiring part to an electrician. Set it up so that they charge a lower fee if you do all of your business through them.

True. If you aren't a licensed electrician, you can get it certified by one who is.
If you are installing a panel at home, no certification is needed, unless your home owner insurance requires it.
If you are going into business installing these panels, you don't have to be certified either. However, you will need someone in your employ that is and certifies your work

A buddy of mine and I have been talking about getting into installing solar panels for months now. Great minds think a like, eh? I was considering a trade school after I got my vehicle paid off.

You need a Journeymen's to do electrical work on your own, which requires 4,000 hours (4 years give or take) of work under a liscenced electrician.

I've been doing some research and have found a local trade school that offers an electricians course resulting in either an associate degree or certificate. Both tracks seem to be the same with an extra course thrown in for good measure in the associate program. Since I'm already an RN my previous college courses should be sufficient for me to secure an associate without having to take any unnecessary or time consuming courses.

The program is 15 months long. Start this fall and finish Spring of 2011. Would cost about $6,000 plus books and fees. Since I have no real working knowledge of energy systems I'm seriously considering this course. The only drawback is my age. I don't have a lot of time to waste due to age but I wouldn't be doing anything out of the ordinary during this time anyway.

It appears that the course will allow me to take the journeyman's exam since the last course is actually prep for the exam itself.

I don't see how working as a registered nurse with medical college background would relate to learning electricity :confused:

I don't see how working as a registered nurse with medical college background would relate to learning electricity :confused:

It relates only to the electrician degree. They offer both a certificate and an associate degree. The only difference is that in the degree program one must take a couple additional classes that I've already taken such as English, Math, etc. If I enroll it would be for the degree program since I will be taking the same course either way. Does that make sense now? I'm sorry I didn't explain it clearly enough for you in my previous post.

I think you should go for it. I understand the age thing somewhat, even I'm pretty young. Everyone tells me as far behind as I am in college, I'm be 25 or 30 by the time I graduate. Well, I'll be 25 or 30 anyway.

So these years will pass whether I can get an education or not. The only difference is, will I get it?

It sounds like a great field to get into. I'm sure you do have most the of pre-reqs done for it.

You'll come out with a great skill that's in demand. Like you said, you wouldn't be doing anything in that time anyways.

Try a few classes, you'll probably love it.

Good luck T.

What's your age.

What's your age.

Older than 30 and younger than 80. :D

http://www.yti.edu/ 9 month course 15,000.00

http://www.pennfostercollege.edu/indexhtml

I can do the local trade school electrician program for less than half of that $15k. I would never pay that much for a trade school.

Since my last post I've found various workshops where I can become certified by a national renewable energy body and likely not have to take the trade school courses. If I need to wire a pv system into the home breaker box I can pay an electrician a nominal amount to do that part. The rest I can do. It may turn out that I will need the trade school knowledge base. Still doing the research.

You need a Journeymen's to do electrical work on your own, which requires 4,000 hours (4 years give or take) of work under a liscenced electrician. That's how it is in my state. I have my electrical contractor's license. Had to show 8000 hours, with half or better of it as a lead electrician on the job. State required their forms be filled out by employers and notarized.

However, I believe that anyone, even without formal training, can do electrical work if it is inspected by a liscenced electrician. I'm not entirely sure about that, but I'll try to see if I can confirm it with the master electrician at work tomorrow if I catch him. That's a no-no where I live. They consider it: loaning, selling, transferring of license and it can get you in big trouble.

However, my state allows any homeowner to do their own electrical work provided that it is their primary residence-no rental property. The county requires homeowners to take a short course and then an exam. Most people just work with no permits and, thus, don't take the class.

Tony, I have done some solar at my workplace and at my home. It is not very hard to do. So, your last post, IMO, is dead on. There are a lot of sites on the net that give information on putting together solar systems. You don't need to become an electrician to put your solar PV system together. Consider solar hot water, too, for your water heater and even your climate control.

One of my favorite solar sites:
http://www.windsun.com/

In some places, Texas for example, you need a Master's license to do any work on someone's house. A Master's can be notoriously difficult to get; $100,000.00 bond, plus pass the exam. If the code enforcement bureau of the city or county you are in thinks that area doesn't need any contractor competition, you ain't gonna pass the test. Period.
Even if you work on your own house, or a friend's, you need to pull a permit. Otherwise, you risk heavy fines or a city lien against your property. Permit in Texas requires a Master Electrician to at least sign off on the work before inspection.

My advice as a professional industrial electrician is to look very carefully at the local requirements in your area. And by all means get a copy of at least the 2005 National Electrical Code.

In some places, Texas for example, you need a Master's license to do any work on someone's house. A Master's can be notoriously difficult to get; $100,000.00 bond, plus pass the exam. If the code enforcement bureau of the city or county you are in thinks that area doesn't need any contractor competition, you ain't gonna pass the test. Period.

Ours is bit different. Three license classes.
Limited: 600 volts and no one project to exceed 40K in cost on the electrical work.
Intermediate: Like Limited but project cost up to 110K and some bonding ability.
Unlimited: No limits. Bonding ability required. You don't have to put up a bond, just show the ability from a bonding agency that you can get it if you need it.

There are 10 different classifications of electrical contracting licenses. Each license has a specific scope and limitation of work allowed. The Limited (http://www.ncbeec.org/modules/content/index.php?id=8#gs87-43.3) (L), Intermediate (http://www.ncbeec.org/modules/content/index.php?id=8#gs87-43.3) (I), and Unlimited (http://www.ncbeec.org/modules/content/index.php?id=8#gs87-43.3) (U) classifications allow a licensee to perform residential, commercial and industrial work. The Residential dwelling (http://www.ncbeec.org/modules/content/index.php?id=8#gs87-43.4) license (SP-SFD (http://www.ncbeec.org/modules/content/index.php?id=18#0803)) permits electrical contracting projects pertaining to single-family detached residential dwellings. There are also six (6) special restricted electrical contracting classifications which allow only a limited phase of electrical contracting work: Low Voltage (SP-LV (http://www.ncbeec.org/modules/content/index.php?id=18#0804)), Elevator (SP-EL (http://www.ncbeec.org/modules/content/index.php?id=18#0806)), Plumbing, Heating, and Air Conditioning (SP-PH (http://www.ncbeec.org/modules/content/index.php?id=18#0807)), Groundwater pump (SP-WP (http://www.ncbeec.org/modules/content/index.php?id=18#0808)), Electric Sign (SP-ES (http://www.ncbeec.org/modules/content/index.php?id=18#0809)), Swimming Pool (SP-SP (http://www.ncbeec.org/modules/content/index.php?id=18#0810)).http://www.ncbeec.org/modules/content/index.php?id=1

Even if you work on your own house, or a friend's, you need to pull a permit. Otherwise, you risk heavy fines or a city lien against your property. Permit in Texas requires a Master Electrician to at least sign off on the work before inspection.
Things are different in Texas. Here, when they catch some guy with no license, he gets fined $500 bucks. Non permit work is an underground economy and they really don't try to do much about it. They can't really catch people anyway. I pull permits for every job I do to cover my ass with everyone-property owner, my insurer, the county, etc. Not worth having the Board yank my license for not pulling one.

My advice as a professional industrial electrician is to look very carefully at the local requirements in your area. And by all means get a copy of at least the 2005 National Electrical Code.05 won't cut it. They made a ton of changes for 2008. If anyone needs a codebook, you better get the 08 one. For example, AFCI circuit protection went from bedrooms only (05 Code) to pretty much every room in a home that isn't GFCI'd, like bathrooms and kitchens. They also changed the exemption for no GFCI on fixed equipment, such as sump pumps. It still applies for industry, but not for anyone else. We have had trouble with that where I work in dealing with condensate pumps that cause nuisance tripping of GFCIs. Anyway, lots and lots of changes this Code cycle.

You don't need to become an electrician to put your solar PV system together. Consider solar hot water, too, for your water heater and even your climate control.

My original post was in regard to my wishing to design and install pv and other renewable energy systems for clients who may wish to have such systems installed at their home or business. I'm looking at doing this for a living. It wouldn't hurt to have an associate degree as an electrician but my time is more valuable now than if I were 25. If a solar or renewable energy certification is all that is needed then that may be the way for me to go. After I start making some money with it I can then re-consider electrician's school if necessary and if it will boost the bottom line.

My original post was in regard to my wishing to design and install pv and other renewable energy systems for clients who may wish to have such systems installed at their home or business. I'm looking at doing this for a living. It wouldn't hurt to have an associate degree as an electrician but my time is more valuable now than if I were 25. If a solar or renewable energy certification is all that is needed then that may be the way for me to go. After I start making some money with it I can then re-consider electrician's school if necessary and if it will boost the bottom line.

You know, when I went to ncbeec.org, my state's site for the Board, they had a special announcement on PV which states that since PV is covered under the NEC (which it is), a licensed electrician must install it. That's North Carolina. Things might be different where you live. Licensing laws vary depending on where you live.

05 won't cut it. They made a ton of changes for 2008. If anyone needs a codebook, you better get the 08 one. For example, AFCI circuit protection went from bedrooms only (05 Code) to pretty much every room in a home that isn't GFCI'd, like bathrooms and kitchens. They also changed the exemption for no GFCI on fixed equipment, such as sump pumps. It still applies for industry, but not for anyone else. We have had trouble with that where I work in dealing with condensate pumps that cause nuisance tripping of GFCIs. Anyway, lots and lots of changes this Code cycle.

I need to update my code book. :)

When I got my license in North Carolina several years ago, I got a General license, which is more or less equivalent to a journeyman. With a General you could do residential contracting, but nothing over a certain dollar amount, and no com/ind, if I remember correctly. When I moved to Texas my license wouldn't transfer, and the procedure is so political, I just work in my plant job, & no outside elect. work. In small towns or rural areas, I imagine there's a lot of underground cash stuff, but in Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, the city regs are RIGIDLY enforced; unless you pay out large bribes I expect.

I hate GFCI's. They seem to trip out almost at random, sometimes with no current load. Plus, after tripping out a few times they won't reset.

I need to update my code book. :)

They really did make a ton of changes this time. I think in 05 the big thing was broadband, electric vehicles and AFCIs. One good thing is that the new code books have shaded the changes, so when you are reading, you can tell what is new.

I splurged and bought the handbook which I used to call the picture book. It actually has come in quite handy. I am glad that I bought it instead of just the text. Some of the illustrations are very helpful.

When I got my license in North Carolina several years ago, I got a General license, which is more or less equivalent to a journeyman. With a General you could do residential contracting, but nothing over a certain dollar amount, and no com/ind, if I remember correctly. When I moved to Texas my license wouldn't transfer, and the procedure is so political, I just work in my plant job, & no outside elect. work. In small towns or rural areas, I imagine there's a lot of underground cash stuff, but in Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, the city regs are RIGIDLY enforced; unless you pay out large bribes I expect.


I bet there is a lot of bribery going on in the big cities. Everywhere.

I hate GFCI's. They seem to trip out almost at random, sometimes with no current load. Plus, after tripping out a few times they won't reset.

Yes, I have had lots of problems with them. The biggest being with condensate pumps on HVAC systems. The state decided to override the NEC when they adopted the 08 code and kept the exemption for sump pumps. Obviously, whoever on the code making panel did away with the exemption for fixed equipment didn't think about sump pumps. Someone's house could flood if a sump pump was on a GFCI.

Some of these AFCIs are even worse. I have seen a lot of trouble out of them when upgrading circuits to code, like installing a new panel. They trip out because of wiring issues with the existing, old wire.

My original post was in regard to my wishing to design and install pv and other renewable energy systems for clients who may wish to have such systems installed at their home or business...
In that case, why not get the bare minimum on knowledge required, start a small company and hire someone with the credentials to certify the work and some pee-ons to screw the panels onto a roof. Don't forget the accountant.
When the cash starts flowing in, you can take time out for some tax-deductable schooling to get the credentials you need to certify the electrical hook-up yourself.
If all goes well, you'll get a jump start on the competition and set your reputation, before your future competitors get into the game, cutting into your action using migrant labor

Hey Joe, please advise. I'm early 20s, strongly considering trade school (plumbing or electrical). What are the pros and cons?

Hey Joe, please advise. I'm early 20s, strongly considering trade school (plumbing or electrical). What are the pros and cons?

Well, I will do what I can to offer some insight.

Just about every trade anticipates strong demand with fewer new guys coming in. Their alternative is to hire Mexicans, etc. to take the place of the old guys retiring. So, I would say go for something more technical that is less likely to be flooded with mestizos/low IQ types. Electrical can be technical, or not. New guys, and the mestizos, in electrical pull wire. That's kind of where you start and then you move up. With electrical, you can go different ways-commercial, industrial and residential. With the housing downturn, there is a glut of electricians, unless you are going to work with PV (solar) which the run of the mill guys don't know.

If you live in a union area, I understand that the IBEW apprentice program is very good.

Plumbing takes knowledge but not as intensive as electrical, IMO. Solar is an option here, too. Solar hot water is getting more and more use. Personally, if I were going to be a plumber, I would stick with new construction. I wouldn't want to have to do service calls on someone's clogged toilet, etc.

HVAC is a very good trade to look into. Any apartment complex, etc. looking for a maintenance guy always specifies that applicants have to know HVAC and have an EPA refrigerant card. Plus, homes built now require climate control to be livable. HVAC is technical, is a necessity and has a low number of mestizos involved (in my area anyway). I would look into that. I think Axel Faaborg (on VNN here) is a HVAC tech. He could tell you more. I work in the HVAC industry, but in electrical. I see the tech stuff that these guys have to know and I even attend some of the classes. Way too much for the average nigger or mud.

I started in electronics doing repair work. When I finally bought out an old tiimer, he said that a good economy was bad for repairmen. He was right. So is cheap China junk. Anyway, I got out of it, but with the recession it may come back as a viable way to earn a living. If you go that route, though, look for the viability of working in aerospace, industry, etc. The days of the town tv repair shop are pretty much over unless you are a mfg. authorized repair center.

Selling Mexican TVs?...New guys, and the mestizos, in electrical pull wire...They're 1st runners up for coming back at night to pull much more wire than they do during daylight hours

Selling Mexican TVs?They're 1st runners up for coming back at night to pull much more wire than they do during daylight hours

That's very true. Not many companies hire the mestizos. The ones that do usually end up with theft problems. My company won't hire them. Not official policy, they just don't. They had one that stole jewelry from a customer. Next day, the customer laid bait in the form of a Rolex watch. They found it in the mestizo's sock.

I heard Rolex was buying back their exported watches to keep the price high through limiting stock

I heard Rolex was buying back their exported watches to keep the price high through limiting stock

Gee, sounds like they have been taking lessons from those dirty jews that run the diamond market.

BTW, I stopped in a jewelry store to look at a ring for my wife before we got married. The kike running the store sat me down and went into his pitch. Finally, he says, "the diamond market is controlled. I can look out for you." I said, "yeah, it is run by the jew mob"

The look on his face was priceless. Wish I had a camera with me.

Wife decided to boycott the diamond market. She got a ring, just not a diamond.

http://krgv.img.entriq.net/img/dp_thumbs/thumb_1249080070218_0p8800266522440423.jpg

SAN JUAN - A San Juan family is homeless after a fire ripped through their home.

The fire broke out this afternoon at a home on Yesenia and 39th Street.

Five were inside the home at the time, but were able to get out safely.

The fire came close to other homes, but firefighters were able to contain it before it spread.

Fire crews tell NEWSCHANNEL 5 they believe several air conditioning window units might have overloaded a circuit box, but say it’s still too early to tell if that is what caused the fire.
http://www.krgv.com/news/local/story/Fire-Destroys-San-Juan-Home/TMedp4Ct9UKy6_dFUSIt-A.cspx

http://tinypic.com/2b4ndw