change from domestic to commercial/industrial

[forrester91]

i have been a domestic spark for 3 years now but have only just come out of my time and was wondering how hard the change is going from domestic to commercial/industrial installations, do companies like you to have that experience or would they give you a bit of time to adjust. if anyone replies, thanks in advance

 

[Evans Electric]

Its quite different Forrest , or should we call you Mr Gump ?

I think a contractor would be looking for someone with experience in those areas TBH . Seen it a lot in the past though . Loads you could drop into like most offices wired in T/E , putting up light fittings , 2nd fixing commercial work . I think they'd be looking at the costs TBH , shame but there it is.

You'd be changing to steel trunking s, steel conduit , SWA,s PVC conduit, high bay lighting , panel work , tower and magic carpet work , 3 ph supplies .

 

[ecoelectric]

great you have the skills maybe some companies would allow you to adjust and even train you

 

[revjames]

No offence but to go from being a housebasher to an industrial spark is going to take a huge leap. Do you understand control systems? Think about it - DOL, Star Delta are just the simple ones then theres inverter drives, PLC systems etc. I guess the things like lighting are simple enough to work with and power distribution.

I wish you the best with your endeavours and not trying to put you off. I did the other way round - trained in heavy industry and got a job working for DNO on ther contracting side (when they used to do that) My first job was rewiring 132 MOD houses. Its easier to transition from Industry to Domestic than the other way round. Give me industrial any day!

 

[Evans Electric]

Me too but all I get these days is housebashing TBH . I like new work but rewires are hard work with my crochety knees .

 

[Bacon]

To much hassle doing domestic and i get more satistifaction from doing industrial and commercal work,Plus you have bit more free rein on how you do a indust install as well.

 

[batty]

I take what i can be it domestic or commercial any way as the say a change is as good as a rest.

 

[ProDave]

No offence but to go from being a housebasher to an industrial spark is going to take a huge leap. Do you understand control systems? Think about it - DOL, Star Delta are just the simple ones then theres inverter drives, PLC systems etc. I guess the things like lighting are simple enough to work with and power distribution. I wish you the best with your endeavours and not trying to put you off. I did the other way round - trained in heavy industry and got a job working for DNO on ther contracting side (when they used to do that) My first job was rewiring 132 MOD houses. Its easier to transition from Industry to Domestic than the other way round. Give me industrial any day!

Yes, but he's only proposing to be a commercial electrician, not a control systems engineer (like wot I used to do)

The major differences are 3 phase, cable tray, trunking and conduit.

On the plus side, no part P nonsense to bother you.

 

[KWCFC]

The major differences are 3 phase, cable tray, trunking and conduit.

So basically, the difference between men and boys.

 

[revjames]

Poncy pvc or manly galv.....

 

[steptoe]

turned the lights on,

nowadays they are 'controlled' by the wife using a switch,

 

[ProDave]

What did you used to do as a control systems engineer ( out of interest, you don't have to reply! )

I had a long spell designing, building, installing and commissioning industrial machinery. First in the nuclear industry, then a short spell in the tobacco industry and finally some laser micro machining systems.

My speciality was motion control, servo drives and VSD's, PLC's (siemens S7) and safety interlock systems.

What I do now is a walk in the park, and what I regard as semi retirement, by choice only working part time.

 

[mark740]

This is what im doing right now Dave,

I work on railway signalling and control systems...train routing and timetabling etc using Mitsubishi PLC's. PLC's are only allowed for non safety on the railway (saftey = signalling)

we use them to replace VERY old air driven kit and stacks of old logic cards

i did a few courses at the mitsubishi office in hatfield leaning ladder and structered text etc

 

[ProDave]

Thats a walk in the park :slap ( I do lots of it ) S7's are great if you can beath and think in German and they do love their STLTobacco Industry - They seem to love Beckhoff

I used to do most of my programming in STL. More like "real" programming, rather than just drawing pretty pictures (LAD)

Yes, Siemens are a bit "quirky" S7 wasn't so bad. But boy the early S5 systems were the most non intuitive thing I recall using. Remember The old Siemens programming terminal, based on a CPM computer IIRC with a small CRT screen, two 5 1/4" floppy drives and fold down keyboard?

For a time at one company we used a third party Windows based programming tool for S5, and all the S7 stuff I did was on a PC.

For a while after leaving the last "proper" job I had some S7 PLC's and a working copy of S7 set up at home, but eventually I sold it all on ebay.

The job in the tobacco industry was a stop gap, I knew there was never a long term career in a dwindling industry.

 

[safedepth]

I used to do most of my programming in STL. More like "real" programming, rather than just drawing pretty pictures (LAD)Yes, Siemens are a bit "quirky" S7 wasn't so bad. But boy the early S5 systems were the most non intuitive thing I recall using. Remember The old Siemens programming terminal, based on a CPM computer IIRC with a small CRT screen, two 5 1/4" floppy drives and fold down keyboard?

For a time at one company we used a third party Windows based programming tool for S5, and all the S7 stuff I did was on a PC.

For a while after leaving the last "proper" job I had some S7 PLC's and a working copy of S7 set up at home, but eventually I sold it all on ebay.

The job in the tobacco industry was a stop gap, I knew there was never a long term career in a dwindling industry.

As a confirmed housebasher I would just like to point out that what you have both said in this thread might as well have been written in Turkish. I'm happy to leave that lot to people who want it, what ever that lot is!

 

[ProDave]

Like this

Yes that's the one. That's what I learned PLC programming on.

I recall it was quirky in the extreme.

 

[Catalin Neagu]

So basically, the difference between men and boys.

So if I did only domestic Im a boy?

 

[Sidewinder]

oswald,

Please tell what control panels on domestic?

 

[revjames]

never seen a domestic with galv conduit.....

 

[Andy™]

And a control panel !!

came accross this a while back whilst doing some other work in the house. bit OTT...

this was the controls for the extract fans....