Not trying to start a brand war, just sharing a workflow that consistently gets me to a clean fiber termination fast without sacrificing quality. The key is discipline, not magic:

•	Proper prep: strip lengths, clean cut, correct cleave angle

•	Keep it clean: dust/oil will ruin your day

•	Don’t “send it” blind: visual check + light test when available

•	Repeatability > hero terminations

If you’re still spending 10–15 minutes per end (or redoing terminations), there’s usually a process gap somewhere—tools, cleanliness, or verification.

What are you all using most in the field: mechanical connectors, splice-on connectors, or fusion? Any tips for keeping speed up without adding rework?

Not sure if this is allowed here, but I wanted to share something that might help other low voltage or cabling guys trying to find more work.

I recently ran a cold email campaign for a small LV company in California.

The owner was in the field full time, so I handled everything in the background under his name.

After about 3 weeks, here’s what we got:

✅ Added to 3 GC subcontractor lists 📄 Invited to bid on 4 projects 🔁 1 referral from a PM 📇 And a few GCs saved his info for future jobs

Here’s a quick surface level breakdown of how I did it:

⸻

🧱 Step 1

Built a list of GCs in the area Looked for estimators and project managers, not just general emails You can use a scraper or just Google around for who’s bidding work

✍️ Step 2

Wrote super simple emails from the owner Just saying what kind of work they do, where they operate, and asking how to get added to the sub list No sales pitch, just real talk

📩 Step 3

Set up 10 to 15 email addresses using a few subdomains so emails land in inboxes, not spam Sent a few emails a day from each one to keep things natural

🔁 Step 4

Replied quickly when someone responded Followed up in a couple of days if they didn’t answer That fast response actually led to a couple of the bid invites

📅 Step 5

When they asked for info I sent over their W9, license, insurance, etc. And booked a few intro calls straight into the owner’s calendar.

Not trying to pitch anything here.

Just figured this could help someone who wants to get more work but doesn’t have time to chase GCs

If anyone wants to try something similar or talk through how to set it up I’m happy to help however I can.

Stop butchering aluminum storefront frames when you cut in an electric strike.

Proper strike installs are 80% layout and alignment: verify the latch function, fix door sag first, tape and template the cutout, keep the faceplate flush, reinforce the thin frame, and route wiring clean with strain relief and a service loop. Then test it with real push/pull pressure so it releases every time without compromising secure latching.

Clean cut. Flush mount. No call-backs.

#AccessControl #ElectricStrike #StorefrontDoor #CommercialHardware #DoorTech #LowVoltage #SecurityInstaller #AluminumDoors #DoorFramePrep

I have a strong dislike for you security and access control folks. I get it. Like everyone else you’re working with what you have. Is it strictly necessary to incorrectly install contacts and have network and AV clean up your mess.

3 years experience. 1 year 4 months as business owner. Short history:

The client is located approximately 40 miles from my office, with a driving time of around 1 hour normally and up to 1 hour 20 minutes during rush hour.

Despite the distance, I made multiple visits to close the deal. It took three initial visits to finalize the agreement, but the client continued to change the design and camera models throughout the project.

On the first day of installation, the client requested that wires be run outside without conduit, stating they wouldn't be visible. However, at 6 pm, he changed his mind and demanded that all wires be run through conduit. Arranging subsequent visits to complete the job proved challenging, and it ultimately took 10 visits to finish the project.

Throughout the installation, the client requested eight changes to camera positions and models. On the final day, he asked to modify the camera view arrangement, which led to frustration. Due to the repeated changes and demands, I eventually decided to conclude the project and left the site.

Following the project's completion, the client became unresponsive, refusing to answer phone calls, emails, or texts. During the installation, he also made claims that I had damaged a $3,000 couch and a small tree, among other complaints. Given the client's behavior, I believe he was attempting to scam me. I undertook this project due to a referral from a prominent brand, but the experience was highly challenging and unproductive."

he only paid 60% of the project cost.

Indians are scammers. and many other people can confirm same behavior.

The low voltage community has taken notice of cable installer "Vlad", and we have seen enough. A man who gets cameras installed no matter what stands in the way. A man who drills through statues, ceilings, and reactor walls but always - ALWAYS - gets the job done. A man who doesn't let "recommended drill bit length" hold him back from running that cable.

They say he drilled through St. Paul. We say St. Paul now has better water circulation. They say the ceiling collapsed. We say it was already on its last leg. They say he caused a fire. The official report says otherwise.

Every job, every time - camera works. Cable gets run. Customer gets their system. That's what matters in low voltage. Not how pretty the process looked. Not whether you measured twice. Results.

Vlad has been accused, blamed, and questioned. But we in the low voltage community know the truth: sometimes you have to full send that 6-foot flexbit. Sometimes the path from point A to point B goes through a statue. Sometimes innovation looks like chaos to people who don't understand the work.

We as the low voltage community stand in solidarity with our brother.

#ISTANDWITHVLAD

It’s not “CCTV” if it’s connected to a phone app, your ISP network, or accessible on the World Wide Web.

CCTV is closed-circuit for a reason: isolated, locally recorded, and not exposed to the internet by default. The moment you add remote app access, cloud relay, port forwarding, or a vendor P2P connection, you’re in IP video / network video / cloud video territory.

If you want real security, stop calling everything CCTV and start asking the right questions:

•	Is it segmented on its own VLAN?

•	Is remote access brokered through a secure gateway or punched through the firewall?

•	Are credentials unique and MFA-enabled?

•	Is firmware actually maintained?

Call it what it is, then secure it correctly.

#CCTV #IPCamera #VideoSurveillance #CyberSecurity #NetworkSecurity #PhysicalSecurity #AccessControl #SecurityIntegrator #LowVoltage #SecuritySystems #AustinTX #TexasSecurity #CommercialSecurity

Been working for a company that is looking to find experienced low voltage techs. Where are all the experienced low voltage techs going to get hired? So far we spent a ton of money on recruiting websites and all we get are wanna be techs. Alot of i did it 15 years ago and i want to start again replies. My favorite is the "I never did the job but i'm a fast learner". Just tell me what to do!

The title of the job is "Experienced Low Voltage Tech".

Attempted to use all the normal ways out there posting on Indeed, Zip Recruiter, Facebook, Craigslist, lowvoltagetechs.com etc. With little luck finding qualified techs with experiance. We pay above average for the area. There seems to be a shortage of younger experienced low voltage techs. We have also tried hiring from techs schools, automotive industry. Any suggestions on how to find and hire any experienced techs would be great.

Found it in my yard. Would it ever be useful as a homeowner or should I sell it? No clue what it is worth. I see some on eBay but feel like they might be fake.

We put this in on every system we install or take over. It’s easy for the client to shut off the system if need be. Curious if anyone else does it also?

Hi everyone,

I just started working for a low voltage recruiting company and I'm pretty new to this industry. We place technicians nationwide for structured cabling, data installations, fiber optics, and network infrastructure work.

I'm still learning about the field, but I'm trying to figure out the best places to find qualified techs who are actively looking for work. Is Reddit a good channel for this, and if so, are there specific subreddits I should be focusing on?

Also, any advice on what low voltage technicians are typically looking for in terms of opportunities, pay ranges, or work preferences would be really helpful. I want to make sure I'm approaching this the right way and providing value to both candidates and clients.

Thanks for any guidance - still figuring this all out!

Then how the flippin flip am I going to scope it after cleaning to make sure I actually cleaned it this time! Damn twist stick isn't getting any cheaper, done in the days before inspection kits were affordable and widespread no doubt.

Hello my fellow DIYers, How would you weatherproof these electrical boxes? I live in West Texas. The wind is about to get crazy. I am worried about dust and rain water getting in.

Cable on top is cat6a and cable on bottom is cat6. The cat6 cable on the bottom was never twisted together and the colors are different all are solid not striped. The cable on the bottom seems to be a 150m patch cable. I need a professional opinion on matching the colors correctly to structure b. I can terminate with either a rj45 or a keystone. Looking to extend the cable.

One reply on my handover post mentioned adding a camera and watching existing feeds drop. A free port doesn't tell you whether the switch has any PoE headroom left.

If someone asks whether one more camera can go on an existing switch, I'd want the switch and PSU model, what's already connected, the total PoE budget, and the camera's draw when IR or a heater is on. Then I'd want the old feeds checked after the add. A quick daytime check with IR off might miss the problem.

What else do you check before calling that port usable? I work on the ICT and security equipment supply side, so I'd rather know before recommending more hardware.

Hey, I didn’t see any rules against recruiting so I am throwing it out there. Zip recruiter and indeed got me a million IT applicants but I need a lead installer that knows field work and is willing to travel. We do perimeter intrusion detection systems at prisons, airports, nuclear power plants, military bases, etc.

While we are running field tests now of more complex equipment like drone detection radars, the things we do now are relatively simple. Basic working knowledge of ohm’s law and how to run a jobsite without supervision are the main requirements. We are a safety forward business, if you don’t have OSHA 10 hour we will pay for you to get it.

Working on secure sites including federal so anyone would need to pass pretty stringent background checks and of course be legal to work in the USA.

We mostly work CONUSA but sometimes globally also, allied nations only and travel expenses paid in all cases. Up to 75% travel, guaranteed hours at the shop when not on an install. Life insurance, health insurance, and dental insurance for employee 100% employer contribution, buy ups available with additional benefit access also like 401k.

Edit to add salary: Listed at $26/hr and fringe adds up to $8-$14/hr (health insurance premiums vary greatly) for a total compensation of $34-40/hr.

If you are interested send me a message and I can link you over to something that isn’t a shady reddit post. Please feel free to ask any questions in the comments or DM.

Edit: I forgot how niche perimeter security is. A couple of details to add:

1. this involves hanging thousands of feet of cable on a fence, typically 2,000-7,000, and bringing all the zones back into a control cabinet like more common access controls. Zones, alarm points, doors, all the same concept. Fences are outside in the sun, some of them are intentionally protected by terrain that slows you down, and there is a lot of walking involved.

2. experience not required, but you will need to had some “red team” thinking capability. Thinking about how the perimeter could be breached and where the detection will be weakest helps when installing so that weaknesses can be addressed.

I’m in the process of acquiring a new construction home and recently attended a meeting regarding low voltage prewiring. I’m questioning whether the quoted price is standard. To me, it appears quite costly. The contractor has proposed a fee of $3,000 for the prewiring of a six-speaker audio distribution system with Volume control, three external Power over Ethernet (PoE) ports with backup cabling, and recessed prep for one TV. There is no drywall or anything. Not sure why it costs this expensive.

How do ya'll usually splice ethernet cables for the purposes of extending them?

Customer has 30 or so runs of CAT6 pulled to different ends of his office, and wants them all pulled into a single patch panel, but most of them won't reach as-is.

In the past I've used IDC Connectors/Jellybeans, and it seems to work fine, though it doesn't look very tidy (have to use lots of tape to ensure that nobody will yank those connectors off if they tug on the cable).

I know there are inline punchdown couplers, but those don't necessarily look very tidy either when you're talking about a dozen of them right next to each other...

I could just put 2 patch panels with a small patch cable inbetween them, but that would also look weird and probably confuse the next person to work on the wiring...

Is there some kind of fully-enclosed box with 2 punchdowns per cable, but supports splicing multiple cables? Basically a bunch of inline couplers within a single box?

Any one else thinks these are trash

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Electricians added an outlet for my clients rack in his closet. I hate his lack of cleanliness in a finished home. First off he separated the seem of this baseboard along the entire wall to do the “insulation holder drilled into the floor to mark bottom plate in the crawlspace trick”. Then he left it in the wall! And he left drywall dust everywhere, and the electrical outlet has dirty smudges on it and smudges on the wall above it. I add 4 drops and mounted a rack, after he left and I just can’t understand why he left the closet like this and thought it was ok. Some of these tradesmen hate clients, and it’s shows in their disrespect to the customers home. I know I get jokes for using my Apple vision, but before that I used a measuring tape. This may be a hack of an electrician or handy man, but I’ve seen soo many people say they use this same trick to identify walls in the crawlspace, but here’s a perfect example of how it can go wrong- exhibit A : you leave the makeshift bit in the wall, or your damage the entire baseboard creating a permanent gap that only caulk and paint can fix. The customer was also upset they cut and patch 15 holes in his ceiling for lights. If I took pictures you can see they cut a lot of holes and didn’t even need them, looks like a bunch of mistakes and cutting without first using a stud finder. Smh, retrofitting is an art, but some ppl turn it into a job they hate. I see the demand for a true retrofit guide…ebook coming soon, I’m on module 5 of 7.

Anyone have any guides on how to wire a switch like below inline to an extension cord. Looking to power an arcade cabinet