West Seattle “low voltage” service recommendation?

[Robert2715]

I don’t really need an licensed electrician, but someone good at telephone and home electronics wiring. I have some “low voltage” wiring that’d I’d like to get cleaned up.

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[livingonthebeach]

Totally Wired (licensed and bonded) are great. They have wired phone, cable and security in new construction for me, and done work on existing stuff. Ricky is the owner and works all over (I think he lives in Burien). 206-715-6034

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[Ken]

I did low voltage work up to and including building early datacenters and remote points of presence (pops)for local ISPs and business networks up until the state of WA passed a law requiring all low voltage work to be done by or under the supervision of a licensed electrician.

Depending on how complex your needs are, I could probably tell you whether a handyman (or yourself) could do the job or you need to bite the bullet and hire an electrical contractor.

Homeowners are allowed to do all sorts of things with low voltage that an electrician or handyman can’t legally do.

Convert most of your network stuff to wireless. The cost savings will be immense over network cabling.

Phone and cable wiring can get expensive also if you want to add extensions into rooms where there are none and you don’t have a handy basement or attic to string wires in.

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[Robert2715]

Ken,

When did the electrician requirement go into effect? I had an electrician at my house for some “real” electrical work (120V) but when she looked at my telephone wiring she was totally befuddled! :-)

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[Ken]

Telephone work is dead easy for the most part and any handyman service can do it. They might be working under a company electricians license or just doing the wiring and calling in the electrician or homeowner to make the final connection.

Current applicable parts of law.

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=19.28.161

Rules continue on to 19.28.271 The legalese is oppressive like nearly all RCW’s

Overview page for the entire law if you’re a masochist.

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=19.28

And the exemptions . (note getting a “friend, neighbor, relative or other person when none of the individuals doing the electrical installation hold themselves out as engaged in the trade or business of electrical installations.”

to do the job or help the property owner is one of the exemptions.)

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=19.28.261

The rule was mainly aimed at people like me who did such wiring in large commercial buildings and businesses without paying license fees or hiring union electricians. (admittedly some practitioners may have been winging it at the time. I had to rewire a few offices for customers due to unsafe practices)

I don’t remember exactly when this was passed but it seems like 1998-99 or there about. Some of the exemptions my have been added on since I don’t remember hearing about the municipalities having the right to proclaim exemptions per city.

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[Olympia]

Ricky Bugh and Totally Wired is not a good recommendation. When I built my house, Ricky did the low voltage wiring. I have had nothing but trouble since. Static in the phone line and a lot of noise on the cable line, which results in dropped internet access. I have had repeated calls into Ricky, but he will not stand behind his work. This is in spite of paying over a $1,000 for the installation.

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[velo_nut]

Not to be too technical but “low voltage” is what is powering your household. Anything 600 volts or less is considered LV.

And now back to your regularly scheduled thread…

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