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There are many types of electricians in Portland, Oregon. Each one has different skills and specializations.
A typical electrical career path involves training as an apprentice for a few years before taking a state-approved journeyman licensing exam. Then you can move into a master electrician position, which is where you can supervise and train apprentices and journeymen.
Residential Electrician
Electricians are responsible for installing, repairing, and maintaining electrical systems in residential buildings. Their duties can include new wiring and lighting installation, panel changes, surge protection, and more.
The typical process for becoming a residential electrician begins with skill training and earning necessary certifications. However, the specific requirements for educational hours and hands-on training may vary between states.
In Oregon, a licensed electrician can operate their own business and advertise services, obtain commercial insurance, pull building permits, pass inspections, and bid on public and government projects. Having a license also protects your company from legal liabilities, helps you increase your earning potential, and gives you a competitive edge in the job market.
To earn an electrician license, you must complete an apprenticeship and accumulate 8-10,000 work hours before passing an exam. In addition, the time to gain higher levels of licensing depends on your experience and education.
Commercial Electrician
Commercial electricians install, repair and maintain electrical systems, light fixtures, power outlets, circuit boards and other components in office buildings, schools, hotels or resorts, retail stores, industrial facilities and other commercial buildings.
They work with different voltage systems, which may include 120 or 240 volts that supply homes or extra high voltage systems that exceed 240 volts for larger commercial buildings. They also work with different wiring systems and materials.
Residential electricians often use romex cable, which is a single phase power system that runs 120 or 240 volts and uses sheathed insulation to hide the wires from view. These methods help minimize exposure and damage to homeowners’ personal property.
Commercial electricians usually use a three-phase power system, running MTC or MC cables. This type of wiring is used in factories, chemical plants and mines to run motors and other specialized equipment. The three-phase approach allows a commercial electrician to handle a lighter workload on each wire, while still providing adequate power for their work.
Auto Electrician
If you need a professional to check your vehicle’s electrical system, you may want to look for an auto electrician in Portland. These professionals have extensive knowledge of modern vehicular electrical systems and can troubleshoot many different problems.
They use tools to assess the problem and make a recommendation about how they can fix it. They also provide customers with estimated time and costs of the repair work.
An auto electrician in Portland can diagnose and fix a number of electrical problems on your car, including battery malfunctions, ignition trouble, and more. They are highly trained to solve these issues, and they can even provide roadside assistance if needed.
This type of electrician is responsible for installing, repairing, and replacing electrical wiring in buildings according to blueprints. They use a variety of hand and power tools to do so, and they often work in confined spaces. They may need to install circuit breakers or switches, run wires into walls through hollow tubes or conduit, and connect them together with tensioning devices.
Electrical Contractor
Electrical contractors design, install and manage electrical systems in buildings (homes, offices and industrial spaces). They often work on construction projects or with existing structures that need to be rewired or upgraded.
They also perform maintenance, repair and inspection of the systems they work on. They typically need to be familiar with blueprints, schematics and circuit diagrams, as well as the municipal codes for the area in which they are working.
Some electricians specialize in a specific type of electrical installation. For example, if a home’s outlets need to be replaced, they will have specialized tools and the right materials to do the job.
Electricians have to go through a trades program and earn a license before they can work independently. They also have to carry insurance and protect their equipment, tools and vehicles. This is because working with electricity can be dangerous and cause serious injuries.