Electrician moving over

[Tony Soprano]

Hi everyone I’m just after some advice really. Not really sure what to expect. But I’ve been thinking about trying to get into doing more access control, cctv, intruder alarms and possibly fire ? I’ve done a fair bit of installation work but not much in the way of programming or commissioning so my knowledge on the panels and the kit is basic. I was just wondering if it’s something I can easily pick up and start to get work doing it? I’m currently CIS subbying as a spark. I’ve recently worked closely with some Access control guys on a job and I really fancy doing it. It just obviously needs to work with my life and what I’ve got going on etc. if anyone has made this transition I’d love to hear from you

 

[binky]

How good are you with IT stuff? Trouble with most things like CCTV these days is they work over wifi and internet, and issues with that can be a right ball ache if it goes wrong. Installing the stuff is a doddle!

 

[Richard-the-Ninth]

To add to what binky said, decent CCTV is POE, and it is not unusual for the NVR to "forget" some or all of the cameras, you then have to find out which and where and re instate them. (You can't look at the monitor, as there is no picture for you to not see.)

As for fire, don't even think about it, it is a life safety system and there are a lot of rules and regs you have to know.

Intruder has its challenges, but you can't do it on your own, you would have to work for someone, as its an insurance thing (not liability) but are you a registered installer, as an individual you can't be, so as I said, you would have to work for someone else, also there is call out, most companies you have to take your turn of being on call, you can sub though, but you would have to know the panel being installed, every company has their "go to" brand.

Access, something often forgotten about is that you have to install locks, and maglocks, and you only get one go, no fun if you mismeasure, then, like intruder you have to know the equipment being installed and have an understanding of how it works.

The security industry can be good to work in, but you do need to "stick with it" not sure if you would like the drop in money.

 

[Tony Soprano]

To add to what binky said, decent CCTV is POE, and it is not unusual for the NVR to "forget" some or all of the cameras, you then have to find out which and where and re instate them. (You can't look at the monitor, as there is no picture for you to not see.)

As for fire, don't even think about it, it is a life safety system and there are a lot of rules and regs you have to know.

Intruder has its challenges, but you can't do it on your own, you would have to work for someone, as its an insurance thing (not liability) but are you a registered installer, as an individual you can't be, so as I said, you would have to work for someone else, also there is call out, most companies you have to take your turn of being on call, you can sub though, but you would have to know the panel being installed, every company has their "go to" brand.

Access, something often forgotten about is that you have to install locks, and maglocks, and you only get one go, no fun if you mismeasure, then, like intruder you have to know the equipment being installed and have an understanding of how it works.

The security industry can be good to work in, but you do need to "stick with it" not sure if you would like the drop in money.

Is it a drop in money because the guys I’ve worked with this week are on loads and just sub to about 4 different companies doing it. The only thing they said is be prepared to do more driving

 

[Tony Soprano]

How good are you with IT stuff? Trouble with most things like CCTV these days is they work over wifi and internet, and issues with that can be a right ball ache if it goes wrong. Installing the stuff is a doddle!

Not too bad. It would be a learning curve like anything

 

[binky]

Not too bad. It would be a learning curve like anything

helps to have friendly IT expert to hand sometimes.

 

[Andy™]

The only thing they said is be prepared to do more driving

definitely. many days i only do 2-3 hours work and the rest driving around. some days its less than an hour work

 

[MDJ]

Hi everyone I’m just after some advice really. Not really sure what to expect. But I’ve been thinking about trying to get into doing more access control, cctv, intruder alarms and possibly fire ? I’ve done a fair bit of installation work but not much in the way of programming or commissioning so my knowledge on the panels and the kit is basic. I was just wondering if it’s something I can easily pick up and start to get work doing it? I’m currently CIS subbying as a spark. I’ve recently worked closely with some Access control guys on a job and I really fancy doing it. It just obviously needs to work with my life and what I’ve got going on etc. if anyone has made this transition I’d love to hear from you

A doddle, fire can be a bit awkward unless you only install and know someone who can use a lap top and program points etc, there are however courses you can go on, intruder alarms are just plain simple, nothing complecated at all about these, most CCTV have apps you can upload which is school boy stuff, Electrical work is far more difficult, Well JMO

 

[binky]

A doddle, fire can be a bit awkward unless you only install and know someone who can use a lap top and program points etc, there are however courses you can go on, intruder alarms are just plain simple, nothing complecated at all about these, most CCTV have apps you can upload which is school boy stuff, Electrical work is far more difficult, Well JMO

You can buy fire alarm kits preprogrammed, which is what a fire alarm guy I worked with used to do. Nice thing about fire alarms us you can set up the business for repeat annual servicing, so creating a regular income

 

[Andy™]

only downside to alarms, fire alarms etc, you can expect calls at any time of the day....

 

[UNG]

only downside to alarms, fire alarms etc, you can expect calls at any time of the day....

Or night

 

[Tony Soprano]

A doddle, fire can be a bit awkward unless you only install and know someone who can use a lap top and program points etc, there are however courses you can go on, intruder alarms are just plain simple, nothing complecated at all about these, most CCTV have apps you can upload which is school boy stuff, Electrical work is far more difficult, Well JMO

With Fire It would literally be installing and leaving a fault free loop at the panel ready for commissioners. The other stuff I don’t know much about that side

 

[Tony Soprano]

Or night

I wouldn’t want anything to do with that. I’m interested in the installation and commissioning. Once that’s done onto the next job.

 

[Tony Soprano]

definitely. many days i only do 2-3 hours work and the rest driving around. some days its less than an hour work

These guys I’ve been working with go to jobs and either just fit the panels etc and connect up or they also do the wiring too. Then onto the next job. This is the security side. Not fire

 

[UNG]

I wouldn’t want anything to do with that. I’m interested in the installation and commissioning. Once that’s done onto the next job.

I think you might struggle to find that utopia especially while gaining the necessary skills to achieve your goal, the on call is like a rite of passage to get to where you want to be
I found doing the on call gave me a better understanding of the equipment I was installing and gave an insight into how I could install it better to avoid issues that were not apparent during the day, it also made it easier to troubleshoot faults during the commissioning process

 

[Andy™]

I wouldn’t want anything to do with that. I’m interested in the installation and commissioning. Once that’s done onto the next job.

of course you wouldnt want to do the callouts. they usually involve going back out of hours to sort out the ****** of the install done during the day by those winging it and keeping it working long enough til they are off site and its someone else problem

 

[Tony Soprano]

of course you wouldnt want to do the callouts. they usually involve going back out of hours to sort out the ****** of the install done during the day by those winging it and keeping it working long enough til they are off site and its someone else problem

If I installed it there wouldn’t be any issues

 

[UNG]

If I installed it there wouldn’t be any issues

That is a bold statement that I doubt you could ever 100% achieve given the interconnectivity of a lot of security systems
Even for those of us that have been doing it for many years still hit some problems on some jobs and customers have a way of creating problems

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Hi everyone I’m just after some advice really. Not really sure what to expect. But I’ve been thinking about trying to get into doing more access control, cctv, intruder alarms and possibly fire ? I’ve done a fair bit of installation work but not much in the way of programming or commissioning so my knowledge on the panels and the kit is basic. I was just wondering if it’s something I can easily pick up and start to get work doing it? I’m currently CIS subbying as a spark. I’ve recently worked closely with some Access control guys on a job and I really fancy doing it. It just obviously needs to work with my life and what I’ve got going on etc. if anyone has made this transition I’d love to hear from you

With Fire It would literally be installing and leaving a fault free loop at the panel ready for commissioners. The other stuff I don’t know much about that side

I wouldn’t want anything to do with that. I’m interested in the installation and commissioning. Once that’s done onto the next job.

These guys I’ve been working with go to jobs and either just fit the panels etc and connect up or they also do the wiring too. Then onto the next job. This is the security side. Not fire

I may be missing something in your posts and/or completely out of synch with current work practices...?

But back in the day when I was an employee (pre May 1998) my work colleagues just doing the installation and/or maybe commissioning.. were always at a lower pay grade than those doing the fault finding, diagnostics, and/or possibly unsociable hours call-out rectification work to get an installation working as originally designed..

In a nut-shell striving to become a cable-monkey just pulling, fixing, possibly terminating / commissioning cables, (Mains 230v, CCTV, Fire Alarm, or Security etc. etc..), was not an upward move to aim for??

ALL jobs have good and bad points... e.g...

Locality: (travel-time).
Hours worked: (Weekday/Weekend/Out of hours).
Transport: (Own vehicle -vs- Company vehicle0.
Tools: (Own tools -vs- tools provided).
Colleagues: (Working alone or part of a team).
Responsibility: (Costings for design, Procurement of materials, Support in the event of faults? etc..)
Payment: (How much you actually get into your bank account for the hours you work).
etc..
etc..

What are the key elements that you are currently unhappy with and looking to change?

 

[Radiotowers]

of course you wouldnt want to do the callouts. they usually involve going back out of hours to sort out the ****** of the install done during the day by those winging it and keeping it working long enough til they are off site and its someone else problem

Ahh but the call outs are where the money is,
I certainly would not have the house or the pension I have if not for the standby work.
My opinion is , if your able and fit and competent then do standby while you can, before you know it , you struggle to just stand up after kneeling down or pull yourself up in to lofts……oh yes arthritis appears in your hands and you wonder why it gets sore just to cut cable.