atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Cabling Telephones Systems Wiring running wiring in a solid but frail cieling

Hmmm....
Monkeys? I thought that was what young kids were for! Send my 6 year old up ( or in really tight crawl spaces )They think it's neat. And working the Hilte gun is so cool to them.

Just joking of course.

I did use a remote control car 1 time.
I had to get a cable out to a pedastal at a pool.
The only feasable way was to go under the pool. We crawled through the concreate air ducts until we got to a litlle 1X2 duct. tied the string on and sent the care 100' down the duct. there was a vent that open up about 5 feet away from where we needed to end up. Ran conduit from the vent opening to the pedastal and all was well.

Naturally we ran Plenum, I tied an extra string onto the car to pull it back when done, and fishing down the vent took a lot of patience, skill and luck (we were at least 5 feet underground and the vent was 3"X8")

When you run in a cieling space the National electric code states that the Cbale must be installed so that it is not laying on a suspended cieling and supported every 4 feet (the hangers for the suspended cieling does not count as a mounting point.)

You are installing cable, you might get away with using a RC car to run the span, but think if you were running sprinkler pipe. You would have to support that and it doesn't get pulled in like cable, and therefore access points would have to be cut. Why is it OK for one profession to make any cuts they need but you can't?

Have you considered running conduit or wiremold across the cieling?

WE cannot run conduit as if we include that in the bid then we loose the contract to another company. So far I have seen new construction with some cable suspended in free air. We are in canada so dont know what you mean by national electrical code. I am assuming that is in the states?

Yes, NEC is for the US but there has to be electrical codes in Canada..

yeah we have in our electrical codes one huge cool one. Our breaker boxen have to have 2 compartments to make sure when the main breakers are powered down everything in the distribution part is de energized, american boxen are not like that

That is a good idea...

The Canadian Electrical Code (CSA) is very much like the US NEC, in many cases even more strict. It most certainly contains sections applicable to what you are trying to accomplish.

I guess this is yet something else that you have never heard of.

I am almost contemplating working for another company that is more organized.

I would suggest working for a company that employs people who know what they are doing rather than trunk slammers. You might learn how to do your job from them.

-Hal

also things have to be CSA approved as well as UL approved. CSA has slightly higher standards. and we have to be careful, example:american circuit breakers that cause a fire and are not CSA approved will nullify your insurance policy

Just a couple of minor corrections. Our electrical code is the CEC, or Canadian Electrical Code. Each province has it's own amendments to the CEC.

The CSA is the Canadian Standards Association. In Canada we can use products that have the CSA stamp as well as the stamp of Underwriters Laboratories of Canada, C-UL. Some products carry both stamps.

In British Columbia we have a Lo-Voltage limited electrical ticket for low voltage cable installers. Low voltage cabling must be undertaken by someone who holds the Lo-Voltage certification, or someone working under the supervision of someone who holds the certification.

Surdel: I know from your PMs that you are serious about wanting to work in this industry, and wanting to learn how to do the job properly. Unfortunately I think you are finding your way into companies who are capitalizing on a booming economy and hiring anyone willing to call themselves a technician. You won't learn anything but bad habits where you are now, and you will probably give up on the industry completely. There are legit companies out there who will hire someone looking to be trained. You just have to look a little harder. Find some interconnects in your area, put in a resume, be honest about your skill level and your enthusiasm. Don't wait to see a help wanted ad either, just get your resume out there.

Of course there's also the option to take more schooling. I know of a college in Kelowna with a great program.

Ahh, yes. The CSA is like UL- both are testing organizations. I wasn't sure what the Canadian Electrical Code was called. CEC certainly makes sense. :sleep:

-Hal