Trying to get License .. possible roadblock

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wireguru

Senior Member
to answer the OP's question, have you done enough journeyman level electical work on your own during the last 10 years to meet the requirement? Do you have any documentation to back it up (invoices, etc)? You can self certify the experience based on being self employed. There is an additional form you have to complete, and be ready to back up anything you put on these forms.
 

jaylectricity

Senior Member
Location
Massachusetts
Occupation
licensed journeyman electrician
to answer the OP's question, have you done enough journeyman level electical work on your own during the last 10 years to meet the requirement? Do you have any documentation to back it up (invoices, etc)? You can self certify the experience based on being self employed. There is an additional form you have to complete, and be ready to back up anything you put on these forms.

How does that work? "Hey, I'd like a license to perform this kind of work, so here's some documentation of me doing this kind of work without a license. I can has license now?"
 

wireguru

Senior Member
How does that work? "Hey, I'd like a license to perform this kind of work, so here's some documentation of me doing this kind of work without a license. I can has license now?"

you can legally perform work without a license as an owner builder, or as a self employed handyman doing work under the dollar value that requires a license. I could spend 4 years replacing lightswitches for people then get my EC license. Or I could spend 4 years building myself a house and go get a GC license.
 

knoppdude

Senior Member
Location
Sacramento,ca
Hi Satox,
Are you trying to get a journeyman license, or C10 electrical contractors license? Also, it sounds like some of your work in the AF might be applicable to your hours. The magic number is 8000, which you may already have. Have you added together all of your work time? Although times are tough right now, one of the electrical union training directors, or the folks at ABC or IEC, might be able to help shed some light on this issue. The tests are easy, but getting the hours is another matter. Good luck.
 

hillbilly1

Senior Member
Location
North Georgia mountains
Occupation
Owner/electrical contractor
When I got my first license I had to have a notary public stamped letter from an engineer, general contractor, and I can't remember the third one, that stated I had been doing electrical work for two years.
Also not saying you may be a felon:grin:, but some states will not allow you to get or hold a license if you have a felony on record.
 

Article 90.1

Senior Member
Satox, hey welcome aboard!

No disrespect, but you may not be ready for a license. We have all worked with guys who have a level of experience that is very similar to yours, but still do not have what it takes to be a Journeyman.

Your best bet, as someone pointed out, just work for an electrical contractor part time until you have enough hours to qualify you to apply for the license.

The list of accomplishments that you mention (besides the engineering and technical items) don't separate your skill set from the average handyman who claims to be an electrician. Having a BS EE is something to be proud of, but running an electrical contracting company, being an electrical installer, being an electrician, and being an engineer are four different things. I have worked alongside scores of engineers who are the worst electricians I have ever worked with. Conversely, some of the best electricians I have worked with were also engineers. However, every time I work in a commercial or residential setting and the customer starts with, "I'm an EE..." the lack of their ability to install a quality code compliant installation is rarely far behind.

When you are looking for that part time EC to work for, do yourself a favor and find the best one in your area, work hard, ask questions (when the time is right) and learn all that you can about both sides of the business.

Have fun, good luck, be great!
 

stevenje

Senior Member
Location
Yachats Oregon
No disrespect, but you may not be ready for a license. We have all worked with guys who have a level of experience that is very similar to yours, but still do not have what it takes to be a Journeyman.

Agreed. Here is a question for you. Should a licensed journeyman be eligible to get a EE degree because of his years experience in the industry? If not, why not?
 

wireguru

Senior Member
Agreed. Here is a question for you. Should a licensed journeyman be eligible to get a EE degree because of his years experience in the industry? If not, why not?

two completely different disciplines. might as well be an airline pilot -planes are full of wires....
 

satox

Member
Agreed. Here is a question for you. Should a licensed journeyman be eligible to get a EE degree because of his years experience in the industry? If not, why not?

No you cannot transpose the two disciplines. But an Engineer should be able to do the work of the electrician.

Same goes with Pilots (in the Air Force at least) the Pilots have to take course on all systems in their planes that they fly.

Are they (pilots) the most proficient at installing the avionics ? No but they better know how. Can the avionics tech fly the plane ... no.

Should an EE know how to spec out residential circuits and install per code? If they dont they aint no EE. Should a Electrician know how to design a UPS? NO

Now lets NOT go down the class warfare road. Each discipline is equally important and has it's own place.
 

wireguru

Senior Member
the worst is the electronics engineer people who think they are proficient at electrical work because the build PCBs. I saw a guy who installed a generator transfer switch in his house and soldered all the splices in his panel and insulated with heatshrink because 'he is an electronics engineer by trade and wanted to do a better job than the tract home builder. soldered joints are superior to any mechanical connection' :roll:
 

stevenje

Senior Member
Location
Yachats Oregon
No you cannot transpose the two disciplines. But an Engineer should be able to do the work of the electrician.

Now lets NOT go down the class warfare road. Each discipline is equally important and has it's own place.

I would have to disagree with you. You stated that "You cannot transpose the two disciplines" but then stated that "an Engineer should be able to do the work of the electrician". These two statements contradict each other.

Who says we are going down the class warfare road? This is simply a discussion on the merits of a EE getting a Jouneyman's license. No more, no less.

You stated that "Each discipline is equally important and has it's own place." I couldn't agree with you more.

I can no more be a qualified EE than you can be a qualified Journeyman.

Thanks for listening.
 

adelle

Member
the worst is the electronics engineer people who think they are proficient at electrical work because the build PCBs. I saw a guy who installed a generator transfer switch in his house and soldered all the splices in his panel and insulated with heatshrink because 'he is an electronics engineer by trade and wanted to do a better job than the tract home builder. soldered joints are superior to any mechanical connection' :roll:

Well then he's not much of an EE after all! There are many papers and studies over the years proving that mechanical connections are superior to soldered in many cases. And it's more than strength. How about impedance stability for one?

A little electronics manufacture discovered this many years ago. I beleive they were called "Western Electric"!
 
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