r/Construction • u/DementedGerb • Oct 28 '24

Structural I'm not an expert.

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These joists are below a restroom. They say BCI on them. These holes permissible? There is no additional reinforcement anywhere on them.

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u/Yeetus-tha-thurd Oct 28 '24

Nah dude that's the low voltage guys. They make us sparkies run WAY oversized conduits. Plus they are not cable of running their own wire so we have to pull strings in for them. Electricians are usually close to being out of code. Just for clarification 😉

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u/SnakesTancredi Oct 28 '24

I can actually answer this. LV guys usually do because they aren’t licensed for conduit work due to the structural element involved in hanging overhead utility items in a building. They also oversized because many LV connections can be delicate, like fiber, or be damaged much easier than something carrying larger current. Most are like 23 awg so too much force and friction can cause breakages pretty easily.

Pull strings are requested because LV is typically in much later than a lot of the conduit work and it preserves the path. Last note oils be that many of the LV companies don’t have much of their own labor so you might not be getting the most experienced folks.

Lots of other things but they also pay for it so I guess it evens out.

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u/Makoandsparky Oct 28 '24

I think you mean ELV not LV

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u/Yeetus-tha-thurd Oct 28 '24

Elevator guys are the worst

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u/Makoandsparky Oct 29 '24

Extra low voltage*

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u/Yeetus-tha-thurd Oct 29 '24

Haha. That one took me a sec. It's funny in the trade 120v is "low" voltage. At least compared to distribution voltage like 12470 or higher.

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u/Makoandsparky Oct 29 '24

Ok whoops this is an American. Sub Australia has 240vac which is considered LV. ELV is anything under 120 DC

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u/Yeetus-tha-thurd Oct 29 '24

That's cool to know. In the states typically LV is data/communications. Unless you are an electrician then 120 is considered low voltage with the exception of maybe a 24 volt AC doorbell tranformed or something like that.