Category Archives: Electrician

Arizona licensing requirements for electricians are categorized as residential and commercial. Residential electricians work in homes. Commercial electricians provide electrical repair, maintenance, and safety inspections for commercial properties, including offices and non-industrial workplaces.

License requirements are about the same; you must pass a trades exam and a statute/rules test. A licensed commercial electrician needs to have at least 4 years’ experience working on commercial properties.

Most commercial electricians are qualified to do residential work. But not all residential electricians are licensed to perform commercial work.

Signs You Need Commercial Electricians

If you own a commercial property, you may have several floors. You may also have several tenants. Let’s say half the third floor was office space. Now it’s empty and your potential tenant is a medical practice with an onsite laboratory. There will be different types of equipment that have higher electrical demands.

You’ll probably need rewiring; maybe a panel upgrade. You need a company with commercial electricians to assess the increased electrical requirements.

If you own or manage a Phoenix business, you know that electricity is critical to operations. Downtime costs money. Some of the indications you need a commercial electrician include:

• “Dead” outlets/switches – Several things could cause one or an entire area’s outlets and/or switches to malfunction. A commercial electrician is required.
• Circuit breaker(s) trip – When a circuit breaker trips, it’s a red flag. Usually, you’ve overloaded your circuit. Once in a while is okay. But if it happens a lot, you need commercial electrical inspection and repair.
• Hot spots – If a break room appliance is warm to the touch, unplug it. If an outlet, light switch, or any wall space is warm, it’s dangerous. Contact your company’s commercial electrician.
• Lights flickering – Lights flickering should be investigated. If other area businesses have flickering lights too, it’s weather- or electric company-related. Unplug what you can and carry on. If more than one light unit or station is flickering frequently, it’s a problem. You need a commercial electrician.
• Odor – Commercial electrical problems can begin behind walls. You can’t see them, but you can smell them. A wire or electrical burning smell is unique and dangerous. You need to contact your company’s commercial electrician right away.

Questions your Phoenix commercial electrician should be able to easily answer include:

• Are you licensed, bonded, insured?
• Can you provide a detailed estimate?
• Do you work directly with insurance companies?
• How many years of commercial electrical experience do you have?
• Who is going to be in charge of my work?

Your commercial property needs its own commercial electrician. Your commercial electrician will put a plan in place to:

• Make recommendations for lighting options that enhance productivity and save money
• Provide maintenance and safety inspections that keep your property, tenants, employees, and customers safe
• Strive to keep you up and running as soon as possible if you have electrical issues

How To Find Local Commercial Electricians

If your city is:

• Anthem
• Carefree
• Cave Creek
• Chandler
• East Valley
• Gilbert
• Glendale
• Glendale
• Mesa
• Paradise Valley
• Peoria
• Phoenix
• Scottsdale
• Tempe
• Tucson

…and adjacent neighborhoods, you’ve already found the top-rated commercial electrical contractor near you. Turn It On Electric is a 4.5-5-star company with great testimonials on independent websites. We are licensed, bonded, insured, and have positive B2B (business-to-business) relationships in several communities. We guarantee our work.

Put “TIO Electric” and our phone number in your cellphone Contacts list under “E” for efficient, eager, earnest, excellent electricians.

If you have questions about qualified commercial electricians or need a second opinion, contact TIO Electric. We’ll work hard to earn your business.

The electricity went off a couple of weeks ago…We’re thinking the fire had something to do with electrical.

–Fire investigator / AZ fire in which 9-year-old died

Your breaker trips and your electricity is on-and-off too frequently. When you check the breaker box, you see a brown, burnt-looking discoloration. Those are 2 critical signs you need a panel upgrade.

No Electrical Problems: Is a Panel Upgrade Necessary?

Your panel is your home’s electrical “distribution point.” It distributes electricity to appliances, outlets, and switches throughout the house. Usually located in the garage or attic, its breakers “trip” (shut off) to alert you there’s a problem.

The median year for houses built in Phoenix, AZ is 1982. This means half of our homes were built after 1982. But half of our homes were built earlier. If there are no problems, a panel box should provide service between 20-30 years. Many homes in Maricopa County and The Valley are due – or overdue – for a panel upgrade.

11 Reasons for an Arizona Panel Upgrade

Today we use more electricity than ever, and our usage is rising. The cost of a 400-amp panel upgrade averages $2,000-$4,000. If you have a 100-amp panel and add a charging station, you may want a panel upgrade to 200 amps. But if you have any of these electrical warning signs, you need a panel upgrade:

1. Age – If your home was built in the 1980s-1990s using any brand circuit breaker, you should schedule a panel upgrade inspection. In the 1980s, many homes installed Federal Electric Stab-loc circuit breakers. Many of them did not meet UL (Underwriters Laboratories) standards.
2. Appliance overheating – If an appliance is warm to the touch or emits smoke, it’s overheating. Frayed cords or discoloration at the outlet in which it’s plugged are other signs. Don’t ignore them.
3. Appliances – Technology has been a game-changer for home appliances. And some appliances are more power-hungry than others. If you’re running the washer/dryer, charging devices, and your hairdryer trips the circuit breaker, you need a panel upgrade.
4. Discolorations – Brown or blackened spots on your electrical panel signals an electrical emergency.
5. Flickering lights – A wind storm in which you and your neighbors have flickering lights is one thing. But in fair weather, one room or every room: Flickering lights are a red flag.
6. Frequent trips – Don’t pack your bags yet. A one-time tripped breaker is inconvenient. Frequent trips are dangerous.
7. Fuses – If your home’s electrical panel is a fuse box, it’s long overdue for replacement.
8. Shocks – About 1,000 people die from electrocution every year. Getting little shocks when you touch a light switch or plug-in to an outlet is not okay.
9. Smell – The electrical burning smell is unique. If you notice it anywhere in your home, contact your electrician. A panel upgrade may be necessary.
10. Sound – Sizzling, hissing, crackling, popping. If you hear any of these or other sounds from your circuit breaker box, don’t delay. Contact your electrician.
11. Sparks – You don’t want fireworks in the house, especially coming out of your wall. If you plug an appliance into an outlet and see sparks, don’t use it. Contact your electrical professionals quickly.

Contact TIO Electric For More Information

Turn It On Electric is your Phoenix- and Tucson-area resource for electrical panel upgrades. We adhere to industry best practices for home and family safety. Our team of professionals is trained to repair, maintain, and install the top technological residential and commercial devices and appliances. (And we’re eager to share what we know with you.)

If you suspect you need an electrical panel upgrade, you may be right. If you don’t, we’ll tell you. Your safety is our main priority. Your business is a plus. If you have questions, let’s talk.

Nothing can replace the value of a college education. But after 4 years of hard work, students often learn a hard lesson: Their new career income will barely cover living and college loan expenses.

Becoming a journeyman electrician is hard work too. After years of on-the-job paid training, you’ll have a career you can be proud of. With no debt.

Apprenticeship: The First Step to Your Phoenix Journeyman Electrician Career

You’ve heard the expression, “Earn while you learn.” That’s how an apprenticeship program works. You work and train under a journeyman electrician for several years. You build skills, expertise, and knowledge along the way.

In Arizona, there are no licensing differentiators between “apprentice,” “journeyman,” or “master” electricians. A Phoenix electrician will either have a residential (R-11), commercial (C-11) license or both (CR-11). You can only work as an electrician under the supervision of someone who holds these licenses.

Electrical Contractor/Journeyman Electrician Requirements

To become an electrical apprentice, a high school education is required. Classes in electricity, math, shop, or training in the U.S. Armed Forces are not required but helpful. To begin training as a journeyman electrician, you will need:

• Ability to work with a team as well as independently
• Communication/employability competence
• Dependable transportation to and from project/work sites
• Physically able to perform required duties
• Problem-solving skills

Experience needed to become an Arizona electrical contractor includes hands-on training and (supervised) electrical project management development. Remember, as a Journeyman Electrician you\’ll need to work for someone with one of these licenses.

Licenses include:

• General engineering electrical/transmission lines – 4 years/experience, Statutes/Rules (SRT) exam, Trades exam
• C-11 licensed electrician – 4 years/experience, SRT exam, Trades exam, solar warranty required for solar work
• R-11 licensed electrician – 4 years/experience, SRT exam, Trades exam, solar warranty required for solar work
• CR-11 licensed electrician – 4 years/experience, SRT exam, Trades exam, solar warranty required for solar work

What You Will Learn

It averages between 5-7 years of on-the-job training to become a journeyman electrician. Every year, as your expertise and competencies grow, you’ll advance in knowledge and skills.

Your first year will likely focus on:

• Basic electrical theory
• Conduits
• Mechanical skills
• On-the-job safety, First Aid, CPR, etc.
• PPE (personal protective equipment)
• Wiring

…and more. In the following years you will receive training in:

• Alternating currents
• Blueprint reading
• Electrical:
  • Codes, Arizona
  • Components
  • Detectors
  • Faults
  • Fundamentals
  • Generators
  • Inspection
  • Installations
  • Science and technology
  • Symbols
  • Systems design
  • Systems equipment
  • Testing
  • Tools and equipment
  • Troubleshooting
• Grounding/bonding
• How to manage electrical projects
• Motors and motor:
  • Circuitry
  • Components
  • Controls
• National Electrical Code® calculations
• Reflectors
• Relays
• Resistors
• Sensors
• Transformers

…and more, followed by light commercial experience and training.

Begin a Debt-Free Career Now

You want to earn above-average pay doing something exciting and filled with opportunities. You want to become a journeyman electrician. Now what?

You can either attend a trade school’s program or join a reputable company willing to provide on-the-job education and training (or both).

What should you look for in Phoenix or Tucson electrical contracting companies? Pay attention to the professionalism and appearance of the company headquarters, equipment, and employees. If their work trucks or vans are shabby and dirty (and if their employees are too), they may not offer the level of experience and professionalism you need.

Good electrical contractors offer:

• A positive, upbeat, forward-thinking culture
• Company-provided technology (iPhones/iPads)
• Competitive hourly pay
• Fully-stocked service trucks
• Health-sharing/medical
• No micromanagement
• Open communication/real-time feedback
• Paid holidays/paid time off
• Residential service electrician journeyman apprenticeship training
• Retirement planning/401k
• Training and ongoing personal/professional development

Turn It On Electric: A Company Culture That Works for You

There’s more to life than working for somebody. When you are passionate about your job, your company should work for you. Why wait? Contact TIO Electric to learn more about becoming a journeyman electrician.

If you invest in an electric car, you must have two things:

1. Dedicated parking spot
2. Hardwired electric car charger installation

Ideally, your dedicated parking place will be inside your personal garage. If your dedicated parking space is outside, Jim Gorzelandy of myev.com says, “You’ll want to have an electrician install a hardwired charging station, which is also called electric vehicle service equipment (EVSE). You’ll need to have it attached to either an external wall or a freestanding pole.”

The outdoor-rated unit your local electrician will install will be all-weather safe.

FAQs: Electric Car Charger Installation in Phoenix

Q: Can I charge my car with the standard electrical outlets in my garage?
A: Your electric car will come with a Level 1, 120-volt charger that you can plug into a standard electrical outlet. Most electric car owners quickly discover it takes too long (about 16 hours) and causes problems with household appliances. A Level 2 charging solution is better. If your daily commute is 50 miles, your charging time will be about 2 hours.

Q: Can I do a Level 2 electric car charger installation myself?
A: Sure. As with almost everything, the DIY (do-it-yourself) instructions for installing a Level 2 charger are on the internet.
But it’s truly a bad idea. Some of our friends and neighbors (like you) here in Maricopa County begin blowing fuses after a DIY electric car charger installation, and they must call us anyway.
It’s simply safer and easier to have a licensed, local, professional electrician check your amperage, inspect your circuit breaker panel (and upgrade if necessary), and make sure your power grid has enough voltage. In fact, it’s an even better idea to have this kind of inspection before you invest in your electric car.

Q: What is “plugless” power for electric cars?
A: Remember that day you forgot to charge your car? It wasn’t pretty. If you’re already tired of cables and plug-ins for your electric car, you should consider a wireless charge. It’s simply a better electric car experience because it “eliminates thinking about charging,” said one website.
Most of the electric cars driven today don’t have built-in wireless charging compatibility, so you may need that installed on your car. Wireless charging also requires induction coils, a circuit board installation, and a dedicated electrical connection (15 watts or less). Your family electrician will provide a wireless electric car charger installation service.

Q: What is a Level 3 electric car charger installation?
A: DC Fast Charging is what you’ll use at public charging stations. They may be installed on commercial and industrial properties and are not for residential electric car charging.

Turn It On Electric Is Committed to the Future of Phoenix Families

Electric cars could contribute to a 38% increase in electrical use by 2050. While there are challenges, the future of electricity for our nation’s communities looks good. Headlines like “Electric Cars Challenge State Power Grids” may appear worrisome but some are eager to embrace the growth opportunity. Our Turn It On Electric team looks forward to electrical challenges and opportunities.

If you have questions about electric lifestyle solutions for your home or commercial property, contact TIO Electric.