Maine electricians

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dwellselectric

Inactive, Email Never Verified
Question for any Maine electricians. My parents have a house in Boothbay and the cable company quoted them a price of 8,000 to bring a line from the pole to there house. There driveway is close to half mile long. I've already talked to the supply house and im going to get the proper wire to run. My question is would the cable company have any issues with me running the line to the house? I know in my town its okay to do but im unsure of Maine thanks for the help
 

LEO2854

Esteemed Member
Location
Ma
Question for any Maine electricians. My parents have a house in Boothbay and the cable company quoted them a price of 8,000 to bring a line from the pole to there house. There driveway is close to half mile long. I've already talked to the supply house and im going to get the proper wire to run. My question is would the cable company have any issues with me running the line to the house? I know in my town its okay to do but im unsure of Maine thanks for the help

HERE'S a link to the state of maine Electricians Board.http://www.maine.gov/pfr/professionallicensing/professions/electricians/index.htm
That may help.
 

nhfire77

Senior Member
Location
NH
Question for any Maine electricians. My parents have a house in Boothbay and the cable company quoted them a price of 8,000 to bring a line from the pole to there house. There driveway is close to half mile long. I've already talked to the supply house and im going to get the proper wire to run. My question is would the cable company have any issues with me running the line to the house? I know in my town its okay to do but im unsure of Maine thanks for the help

Although I'm not a ME EC, I can't imagine them saying no if it was built to their standards, Ive done a 1/4 mile driveway for Comcast device We used 2" PVC and pulled in RG-11 I believe. The comcast lineman came and attached it to the service at the pole and terminated it outside the residence for free, but that was NH.

I'm sure they have an engineering department, like POCO, just call
 

hbiss

EC, Westchester, New York NEC: 2014
Location
Hawthorne, New York NEC: 2014
Occupation
EC
I've already talked to the supply house and im going to get the proper wire to run.

You're kidding, right? That would be like asking a proctologist what you should use to grow hair on your head. There is no electrical supply house that would be competant to provide that information or material. CATV is NOT an electrical trade. Period! I can't believe that you would think that you can just throw a half mile of something in a trench and then call the cable company to come hook it up.

Your proper avenue is to talk with the cable company. See what you can work out with them. Possibly you can provide the trenching and they will provide the materials, installation and engineering. Possibly they would be willing to provide you with the cable and engineering and they will provide the splicing and installation. But don't do anything until you ask them!

-Hal
 

LEO2854

Esteemed Member
Location
Ma
I've already talked to the supply house and im going to get the proper wire to run.

You're kidding, right? That would be like asking a proctologist what you should use to grow hair on your head. There is no electrical supply house that would be competant to provide that information or material. CATV is NOT an electrical trade. Period! I can't believe that you would think that you can just throw a half mile of something in a trench and then call the cable company to come hook it up.

Your proper avenue is to talk with the cable company. See what you can work out with them. Possibly you can provide the trenching and they will provide the materials, installation and engineering. Possibly they would be willing to provide you with the cable and engineering and they will provide the splicing and installation. But don't do anything until you ask them!

-Hal

[/QUOTE]CATV is NOT an electrical trade.
""WHAT""?
What about Article 820 NEC? I guess that all those questions about Communication circuits and CATV should not be on the Master Electrician Exam.
how about all that stuff about Grounding and raceways cabletrays ect.
In Fact since its not "ELECTRICAL WORK" we mine as well just get all that stuff out of the ELECTRICAL CODE all together right.:cool:
 

hbiss

EC, Westchester, New York NEC: 2014
Location
Hawthorne, New York NEC: 2014
Occupation
EC
What about Article 820 NEC? I guess that all those questions about Communication circuits and CATV should not be on the Master Electrician Exam.

The NEC applies to everybody performing work covered within it's scope. Having knowledge of the NEC does not however mean that the person is competant to do the work, only that they are knowledgeable enough so that it complies with the NEC. The purpose of the NEC is to protect life and property. Nowhere does it provide the design or engineering information necessary to make anything work. You could have a completely useless installation and yet be perfectly code compliant.

Art 820 covers grounding, protection and the type of cable required for the safety of the building and it's occupants. That information is for use by anybody doing such work such as the cable companies. You took an exam that tests your knowledge of the NEC and that's why there were questions relating to Art 820. That doesn't qualify you to do any more than run cable within buildings.

Further, OSP is not within the scope of the NEC anyway until it hits the building.

-Hal
 

LEO2854

Esteemed Member
Location
Ma
What about Article 820 NEC? I guess that all those questions about Communication circuits and CATV should not be on the Master Electrician Exam.

The NEC applies to everybody performing work covered within it's scope. Having knowledge of the NEC does not however mean that the person is competant to do the work, only that they are knowledgeable enough so that it complies with the NEC. The purpose of the NEC is to protect life and property. Nowhere does it provide the design or engineering information necessary to make anything work. You could have a completely useless installation and yet be perfectly code compliant.

Art 820 covers grounding, protection and the type of cable required for the safety of the building and it's occupants. That information is for use by anybody doing such work such as the cable companies. You took an exam that tests your knowledge of the NEC and that's why there were questions relating to Art 820. That doesn't qualify you to do any more than run cable within buildings.

Further, OSP is not within the scope of the NEC anyway until it hits the building.

-Hal

Dear hal my point is those who are running wires of any type that is coverd in the NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE,should be qoulified to do so.
in my state those who do this type of work must be licensed professionals.
With the exeption of those that work for the big cable companys. they are excluded from the law.

Otherwise licensed Electricians must pull permits to perform this type of work in massachusetts.
In fact the permit fee's are higher for tel data and CATV work than ELECTRICAL work:grin:
 

hbiss

EC, Westchester, New York NEC: 2014
Location
Hawthorne, New York NEC: 2014
Occupation
EC
My point is that knowledge of the NEC alone is not enough to qualify the person to do the work. That comes with training and experience which in this case is very specialized. I agree with you about having to pull permits. Funny thing is in CT CATV is not handled by the electrical licensing board but comes under the radio/TV repair licensing (last I looked). So technically an EC is not permitted to do CATV work in CT. Cable companies also fly below the radar in that they are not exempt from the permitting/inspection process when they do work within buildings. Their work must follow the NEC but that's not always enforced.

-Hal
 

jusme123

Senior Member
Location
NY
Occupation
JW
Hal, it sounded like a guy trying to save his parents a couple grand for the installation of cable tv, no need to attack anyone (read your initial response- relax dude), he was just asking.
 

dwellselectric

Inactive, Email Never Verified
I've already talked to the supply house and im going to get the proper wire to run.

You're kidding, right? That would be like asking a proctologist what you should use to grow hair on your head. There is no electrical supply house that would be competant to provide that information or material. CATV is NOT an electrical trade. Period! I can't believe that you would think that you can just throw a half mile of something in a trench and then call the cable company to come hook it up.

Your proper avenue is to talk with the cable company. See what you can work out with them. Possibly you can provide the trenching and they will provide the materials, installation and engineering. Possibly they would be willing to provide you with the cable and engineering and they will provide the splicing and installation. But don't do anything until you ask them!

-Hal

I really think you need to chill out man. Here in Massachusetts we are allowed to run the cable and the cable company even supplys the wire. And I know every state is different that is why I was asking. No need to freak out
 

PCN

Senior Member
Location
New England
I really think you need to chill out man. Here in Massachusetts we are allowed to run the cable and the cable company even supplys the wire. And I know every state is different that is why I was asking. No need to freak out

I think you'll be fine, no different than bringing power in. POCO will do it or you do it if you build it their specs.
Just call the cable company, no worries.
 

B4T

Senior Member
I would think the POCO would want primary run from the street up to the house and they would set a transformer on that pole to feed the house.

They would need the transformer no matter where they set it, so I don't see additional expense.
 

cadpoint

Senior Member
Location
Durham, NC
I would think the POCO would want primary run from the street up to the house and they would set a transformer on that pole to feed the house.

They would need the transformer no matter where they set it, so I don't see additional expense.

Hold on there Sparky the OP is about Cable TV wire! :) OK I realize your sudo responding to PCN's post...

I think you'll be fine,...
Is, "No Cuts" not required out in God's Country ? Sounds like a great place to hit an old line of some sorts...

You might ask to see the property survey there might be something out there, other than Rocks and Boulders... :)
 

hbiss

EC, Westchester, New York NEC: 2014
Location
Hawthorne, New York NEC: 2014
Occupation
EC
I really think you need to chill out man. Here in Massachusetts we are allowed to run the cable and the cable company even supplys the wire. And I know every state is different that is why I was asking. No need to freak out.

Not freaking out. What you want to do has nothing to do with "being allowed to" by the state, Code or otherwise. Anybody can throw cable in a trench in the ground or hang it off private poles. You don't need a permit or to be an EC. The thing that I'm trying to point out is that it is a little more involved than what you think because the fact that you stated that you asked the supply house for the proper wire makes me believe you need a better understanding of what is going on. I'm glad to hear that the cable company will supply the wire. I suggest that you avail yourself of it as well as their engineering rather than some guy in the supply house. 2500+ feet isn't a small expense no matter how you do it and you would be wise to make sure you have a design in your hand so that it doesn't come back to bite you later.

-Hal
 

jusme123

Senior Member
Location
NY
Occupation
JW
I really think you need to chill out man. Here in Massachusetts we are allowed to run the cable and the cable company even supplys the wire. And I know every state is different that is why I was asking. No need to freak out.

Not freaking out. What you want to do has nothing to do with "being allowed to" by the state, Code or otherwise. Anybody can throw cable in a trench in the ground or hang it off private poles. You don't need a permit or to be an EC. The thing that I'm trying to point out is that it is a little more involved than what you think because the fact that you stated that you asked the supply house for the proper wire makes me believe you need a better understanding of what is going on. I'm glad to hear that the cable company will supply the wire. I suggest that you avail yourself of it as well as their engineering rather than some guy in the supply house. 2500+ feet isn't a small expense no matter how you do it and you would be wise to make sure you have a design in your hand so that it doesn't come back to bite you later.

-Hal

well stated Hal, I agree!!
 

LEO2854

Esteemed Member
Location
Ma
I really think you need to chill out man. Here in Massachusetts we are allowed to run the cable and the cable company even supplys the wire. And I know every state is different that is why I was asking. No need to freak out.

Not freaking out. What you want to do has nothing to do with "being allowed to" by the state, Code or otherwise. Anybody can throw cable in a trench in the ground or hang it off private poles. You don't need a permit or to be an EC. The thing that I'm trying to point out is that it is a little more involved than what you think because the fact that you stated that you asked the supply house for the proper wire makes me believe you need a better understanding of what is going on. I'm glad to hear that the cable company will supply the wire. I suggest that you avail yourself of it as well as their engineering rather than some guy in the supply house. 2500+ feet isn't a small expense no matter how you do it and you would be wise to make sure you have a design in your hand so that it doesn't come back to bite you later.

-Hal

You don't need a permit or to be an EC
You do in massachusetts unless you are the cable company:roll:
 

hbiss

EC, Westchester, New York NEC: 2014
Location
Hawthorne, New York NEC: 2014
Occupation
EC
I'm not familiar with MA but I kind of doubt that you would need a permit to run CATV cable in a trench or aerial on private property. Not that I doubt what you are saying but I would like to see the requirement.

-Hal
 

gar

Senior Member
Location
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Occupation
EE
101019-1222 EDT

dSilanskas:

Would an RF link be feasible? If it is only for TV consider satellite instead of Comcast.

I realize that a very broadband RF link may not be feasible and if this was to provide TV, phone, and Internet that it might require the TV channel to be selected at the source end. This would be complex, but $8000 is a major cost.

.
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
My point is that knowledge of the NEC alone is not enough to qualify the person to do the work. That comes with training and experience which in this case is very specialized.

Man you are one anal SOB. :grin:

It is just cable TV, no one cares. ;)
 
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