NJ Law on low voltage

[mckeeland]

dont know if any of the guys on here from jersey know about the law that was passed, but as it stands right now we are not allowed to install low voltage lights. only a licensed electrician can do so. yet another friggin law this damn state passed that screws us. here is the a article from the NJLCA web site.


NJLCA supports amendments to allow Green Industry Professionals to install Low Voltage Landscape Lighting
Low Voltage Landscape Lighting installation is a highly profitable service that companies may easily add to their other landscape offerings. NJ Law, however, unfairly restricts this work to electricians.
There is a serious issue facing Green Industry Professionals who wish to engage in the installation of Low Voltage Landscape Lighting. Current NJ law (NJAC 45:5A-18) restricts this profession to licensed electrical contractors.

This restriction places 12-volt work in the same category as 120-volt work – requiring the same apprenticeship, training, testing, licensing and ongoing education for both. This makes no sense since 12-volt installations are absolutely safe. There has never been a serious injury from contact with any conductor below 30 volts (compared to hundreds of deaths every year from 120 volts).

Landscape Lighting is an artistic profession best suited to those who design landscape features and who understand the esthetics and growing properties of plant materials. The work of landscape lighting involves a great deal of digging, pruning and placement of fixtures in the canopies of trees and shrubs. This is work that landscapers already do and that most electricians have no interest in doing.

Unless the law is amended, New Jersey’s Green Industry Professionals will be unfairly shut out from this fast-growing and rewarding work.

To address this issue, the NJGIC is leading a task force with representatives from the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association, the New Jersey Nursery and Landscape Association, New Jersey lighting manufacturers, distributors and contractors.

[sancraig]

Unions at work I imagine. Shame


as a disclaimer: I am Union

[mrusk]

That law has been in effect for some time now. I have heard it is unenforced. But still its the law.

[mckeeland]

yeah, like your going to see electricians out there putting in low voltage lights. you cant get a electrician out when u need him now. low voltage lights will be so expensive that no one will put them in when they are charging $75/hr +.

i was told that it was relatively new, or maybe it was that they are going to add irrigation clock to that law as well. who knows, this state is F'd anyway.

[4seasons]

In ohio we are now competing against electricians installing low voltage.
My supplier and another larger supplier sell to them

[Mbella]

Unbelievable. What are the penalties?

One of your links mentions a "Landscape Licensing Bill." What's that all about?

[AintNoFun]

what union are you in... im just about to sign a contract with laborers...



Unions at work I imagine. Shame


as a disclaimer: I am Union

[sancraig]

Laborers Local 110 I see it as a necessary evil........ I'm not your normal "Union " person. I see more and more Unions pushing to require special licenses for everything and to get this license thats required about the only way to get it is to go through the hoops that unions paid to get into law. I find it mostly with the "skilled Trades" electricians,plumbers,carpenter and such.

[custom patios]

dont know if any of the guys on here from jersey know about the law that was passed, but as it stands right now we are not allowed to install low voltage lights. only a licensed electrician can do so. yet another friggin law this damn state passed that screws us. here is the a article from the NJLCA web site.

that is one of THE STUPIDEST laws in new jersey i have ever heard of.and there are alot of stupid laws for you n.j. guys. sorry to hear that though. maybe you can find some cool lights that only require a couple AA's. lol!!! you could then hire a licensed battery technician.no seriously, maybe you can lobby or petition. you never know, we dont have to wear helmuts anymore to ride bikes.

[HRLand]

The NJLCA is working to get the law changed to "over 30 volts" but I'm sure it won't happen too quickly.

Most electricians don't even want to talk to you unless you're re-wiring your whole house or are building a new one. However, with construction as slow as it is they might start taking what they can get.

[mrusk]

You guys need to find better electricans. I have no proablem getting mine out to run a wire for a pillar light or a hot tub like we are doing next week. I did spend over 20k with him last year though.

[AintNoFun]

gotcha, so is your landscape company union, or your a union worker during the day and do scaping on the side?



Laborers Local 110 I see it as a necessary evil........ I'm not your normal "Union " person. I see more and more Unions pushing to require special licenses for everything and to get this license thats required about the only way to get it is to go through the hoops that unions paid to get into law. I find it mostly with the "skilled Trades" electricians,plumbers,carpenter and such.

[HRLand]

Matt, is the majority of your work in Sussex county?

[sancraig]

Atm I'm a part timer, I'm a Laborer at my day job. Probably 01/01/09 I will go full time and take my company union also.

[mrusk]

Matt, is the majority of your work in Sussex county?

No. It was. Not anymore. Market can not bare high enough prices to make the living I expect.

[AintNoFun]

gotcha, yea the unions are twisting my arm to go union as well.. 95% of our work is on union job sites, should be signing our barganing agreement within the next few weeks....



Atm I'm a part timer, I'm a Laborer at my day job. Probably 01/01/09 I will go full time and take my company union also.

[ZX12R]

I really hope they overturn this law.Most electricians have no clue on how to properly light a landscape. The installation of outdoor lights can be physical,how many electricians want to get involved with that? I am friends with an electrician,and he has turned down jobs because he does not like to dig.

I know the owner of Cast lighting is very much fighting this law. My lighting distributor is having a 2 hour seminar coming up.If I am not too busy or it rains,I plan on attending for information on this law.

As for enforcement,there was an incident this summer.A contractor was doing a low voltage light installation on a new house. An inspector came by to inspect something in the house.He sees the contractor doing the lights and starts to question him. Not only did he shut the job down,he also fined the contractor $5000. I do not know if that was the final oucome,but,that story was told to me by my lighting distributor.

[mckeeland]

ZX12R,

what area did you hear that happening at?

[Mbella]

I really hope they overturn this law.Most electricians have no clue on how to properly light a landscape. The installation of outdoor lights can be physical,how many electricians want to get involved with that? I am friends with an electrician,and he has turned down jobs because he does not like to dig.

I know the owner of Cast lighting is very much fighting this law. My lighting distributor is having a 2 hour seminar coming up.If I am not too busy or it rains,I plan on attending for information on this law.

As for enforcement,there was an incident this summer.A contractor was doing a low voltage light installation on a new house. An inspector came by to inspect something in the house.He sees the contractor doing the lights and starts to question him. Not only did he shut the job down,he also fined the contractor $5000. I do not know if that was the final oucome,but,that story was told to me by my lighting distributor.

Ouch! That would get my attention.

[mrusk]

An easy way to get around this law is to have a electrican do the final hook up.


We have it tuff in NJ. We can not do irrigation or lighting!!!!

[mckeeland]

you cant wipe ur azz in jersey without a permit and insurance.

[ZX12R]

If I remember correctly,it may have been in south jersey,but,do not quote me on that. It was not you,was it?

The next time I visit my dealer,I will find out for sure and post it here.

[mckeeland]

no, but i would like to know so i don't have any issues. we are doing a pool deck and that always involves electrical inspections. we would like to do the lights too.

[Mbella]

you cant wipe ur azz in jersey without a permit and insurance.

You don't have to wear your seatbelt if you're the governor though...:)

[SCgreenscapes]

the funny part is that everyone here thinks this law is crazy, but then you will here someone make the comment that the paver or retaining wall industry needs to be managed to keep the scubs out...Well, that is what happens when that comment comes true.

[mrusk]

the funny part is that everyone here thinks this law is crazy, but then you will here someone make the comment that the paver or retaining wall industry needs to be managed to keep the scubs out...Well, that is what happens when that comment comes true.

That is what needs to be done!

How many hack electricans are there? I've never met any. Infact, i never met a electrican that was hurting for money either!

[mckeeland]

the funny part is that everyone here thinks this law is crazy, but then you will here someone make the comment that the paver or retaining wall industry needs to be managed to keep the scubs out...Well, that is what happens when that comment comes true.

i am all for license for contractors, but being a licensed electrician to install low voltage lights is like having to have a PHD to be a chiropractor. its over kill. make a license for low voltage lights.

[SCgreenscapes]

I would say add it to the specialty contractors license. We have about 8 items that you can register for a specialty license that does not require all the testing as the General Contractors License. But you are just limited to those items.

[kootoomootoo]

I would say add it to the specialty contractors license. We have about 8 items that you can register for a specialty license that does not require all the testing as the General Contractors License. But you are just limited to those items.

umm you guys In NJ had a gay governor ....enough said.

[mckeeland]

that was in north jersey, where matt is, i from south jersey. its a different state, we just dont have a governor here, unless they want to get more money out of the casinos, then we do. other than that we are on our own down here. they elected Mcgayvey.

[mrusk]

that was in north jersey, where matt is, i from south jersey. its a different state, we just dont have a governor here, unless they want to get more money out of the casinos, then we do. other than that we are on our own down here. they elected Mcgayvey.

I did not elect him personally. He11, I was not even old enough to vote when he took office! So don't put it on my shoulders!!!!:dance:

[ZX12R]

Below is a link to an update on the NJ low voltage lighting dilemma. Steve Parrott is the owner of Cast Lighting who is working with other organizations to fight the new law. Let's hope he succeeds.



http://www.lawnsite.com/showthread.php?t=230255

[ZX12R]

For the guys in NJ,here is your last chance to help change the bill that wants to restrict low voltage lighting to electricians. It goes before the committee this Thursday. It's very short notice,but,I just received the email from Steve Parrott today.

Please read the email below.It explains when and who to call to voice your support. Hopefully,if we stop it here,it will not spread to other states that would surely follow.



Dear John,

Today's the Day!
When I say "Today's the Day!" I really mean it. We just found out that our Landscape Lighting Amendment goes to committee this Thursday.

This is short notice for us to let all the committee members know how passionate we are about this issue.

If you want to change this law that restricts Landscape Lighting to electricians then you should pick up the phone today (at the very latest by noon on Wednesday). Call any or (preferably) all of the committee members below.

To Do Today - June 3, 2008:

Call Legislators listed below to voice your support to exempt Landscape Lighting from licensing

To Do Thursday - June 5, 2008:

Attend the Hearing of the NJ Assembly Regulated Professions Committee



NJ State Assembly Bill 1032
Amendment to C.45:5A-18
(Exempts Landscape Lighting from electrical licensing)

"The installation, repair and maintenance of low voltage landscape lighting that has a potential of less than 30 volts."

1. It's Easy and Quick to Make these Phone Calls. Simply call each of the offices below; state your name, company and home town; indicate that the reason you're calling is to voice your support for A. 1032; ask that the Assemblyman (or Assemblywoman) support this bill; thank the staff person or legislator for their time and consideration.

It's especially important for you to call those legislators that represent your district.

Assembly Committee on Regulated Professions
Assemblyman
Vincent Prieto (D), Chairman
Secaucus, NJ
(201) 770-1303

Assemblyman
Thomas P. Giblin (D), Vice Chairman
Clifton, NJ
(973) 779-3125

Assemblyman
Peter J. Biondi (R)
Somerville, NJ
(908) 252-0800

Assemblyman
Anthony Chiappone (D)
Bayonne, NJ
(201) 436-0473
Assemblyman
Patrick J. Diegnan Jr. (D)
South Plainfield, NJ
(908) 757-1677

Assemblyman
Douglas H. Fisher (D)
Bridgeton, NJ
(856) 455-1011

Assemblyman
James W. Holzapfel (R)
Brick, NJ
(732) 840-9028

Assemblywoman
Joan M. Voss (D)
Fort Lee, NJ
(201) 346-6400

[CMSStoneworks]

any update on this? Any change in the law?

[ZX12R]

Not yet,its still going on.Two weeks ago,I signed another petition at my suppliers. Hopefully we can beat this soon.

[CMSStoneworks]

bump...any new info?

[Ed Smith]

The law is strange, very few electricians want to install low voltage lighting(its not mannly!!) I have found most electricians only want to install the plug and transformer connection.We can do the rest.The biggest problem with low voltage lighting is over mulching around well lights and fires. As for the low-voltage police have I haven't seen any! My company stocks and sells low voltage lighting CAST, KITCHLER, NIGHTSCAPING, INTEGERAL, ESCORT, STONE MANOR . We sell 95% to landscapers, the law has been around a few years, a few landscape assoc are trying to rase the voltage to 24 volts on the law. Maybe the'll get it done ! But if your are not intstalling lighting you are missing 10% (min.)of the job. Look a any paver book techo, cst, cambridge whoever 80 % of those jobs have lights on them. I's your job (pavers!) with lighting !

[CMSStoneworks]

its def a service I've been wanting to add. I just dont want to get into a liability battle if something were to ever go wrong. ya know?

[GDK]

wow this is dumb...i guess i should stock up on solar lights....ahh! i didnt just say that!

[Dvmcmr]

wow this is dumb...i guess i should stock up on solar lights....ahh! i didnt just say that!



Now that's funny.:pound:

[CMSStoneworks]

go green....?

[CMSStoneworks]

so I was checking on what the current situation was with the law regarding low voltage lighting and general/hardscape contractors installing in NJ who are not certified electricians. I came across the following.... Could this be it? Are we legally now allowed to install low voltage lighting?!

http://njgic.org/members/legislative/licensing/documents/Low%20Voltage%20Lighting%201032.pdf

"39 (j) Any work with a potential of less than 10 volts."

[CMSStoneworks]

Actually crap....I guess that would still mean we cant. Duh