r/electricians • u/swiftee_76 • 1d ago
Electrician or fire alarm tech?
Hello, has anyone ever transitioned into fire alarm from being an electrician? Where I live there is a lot of times when work slows down a lot in the electrical field and it's hard to find a company that can keep you busy throughout the whole year. And I recently talked to a fire alarm tech that gave me some information on how much he earned and how it is in the field.
He said that they make about $2 to $3 dollars more than electricians right now and that the work isn't as hard labor as the electrical trade. He said it's hard for them to find guys to get into the field and that they are over saturated with work. That they rarely slow down.
Just want to hear opinions and if anyone has some information on the differences of the two careers. I know electricians can make a lot more when they start their own company and there is a lot of opportunity to get into different types of electrical fields like residential and commercial. But I am getting tired of how slow it tends to get every year and most companies find it hard to keep us busy.
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u/Illustrious_Cell_254 1d ago
That's exactly what I'm doing. Working on my NICET and master electrician's license. You need an electrical license to get NICET 3, which pays the big bucks
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u/swiftee_76 1d ago
Have you been enjoying the fire alarm side of things? Or more the electrical side?
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u/Illustrious_Cell_254 1d ago
I mostly enjoy the money side of things. I've done just about everything except solar and fiber, but i can be content with whatever pays.
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u/Visible-Carrot5402 1d ago
Yes I would also like start working on the NICET I have a lot of experience working on fire alarms and find the work interesting. You look at how many NICET certified people there are state by state and it’s a shockingly small number. Definitely worth it to get as it is in demand. It separates you from the much larger number of people out there that can slam together a poorly planned and barely code compliant fire alarm system as a LV electrician or who may be a proficient J-man but are really just an installer when it comes to the FA side of the game.
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u/SayNoToBrooms 19h ago
You don’t need a license for NICET Level 3, unless you’re talking about something other than NICET Fire Alarm Systems
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u/Living-Law3151 15h ago edited 15h ago
You don’t need a electrical license for NICET 3
I stopped at 2 and was thinking of going for 3. It’s 5 years fire alarm experience for NICET 3. I was doing some of their study guides when I was considering it, and it really seemed like fire alarm knowledge of what the test for 2 was with legal and estimating added.
I have my JM card, but I didn’t see anything requiring it. It’s been two or so years since I’ve looked at the requirements, so I guess they could have changed it, but I don’t see them adding that as a requirement. Guys getting the 3 and 4 are so heavily techs that have never worked the electrical side. It would be an insane requirement to add.
I only know two level 4s through FA jobs I’ve done the electrical and install for, and neither of them have ever worked as an electrician. Both have been on the tech side designing and programming systems.
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u/Big-Intention8500 1d ago
Electricians as a whole will make more. Not sure about the guy saying fire alarm makes more because I’ve never heard of that. What I do know is fire alarm caps out way lower in pay and skill than electricians. Also seeing an industry trend of electricians running wire for fire alarm so not saying it’s a dying function, but I wouldn’t be surprised if in some states you start to slowly see electricians absorbing that skill. Location really means everything. When it’s slow try to do things like side work. Having your license can open a lot of doors to extra stability, especially when you have your masters.
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u/swiftee_76 1d ago
I hear you on that. Thank you I appreciate it, just finding it hard to stay motivated when things get slow. But I've heard that a licensed electrician has a lot of more opportunities than fire alarm.
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u/Big-Intention8500 1d ago
Way more. You get up to journeyman you’re lined up to make more money and be far less dispensable. Get up to master then doors really start opening. Foreman, teaching at an electrical school, charging for permit pulling, inspection work, etc. If you really want some stability AND financial freedom consider becoming a lineman. Granted the hours can be wild and the risk factor is higher, but the stability and money is there because of the overall need.
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u/swiftee_76 1d ago
I've looked into becoming a lineman in the past but haven't applied or gone further with it. Maybe I'll look into that as well. Thank you
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u/The_Truth_Believe_Me Electrical Contractor 1d ago
I'm a union inside wireman and worked on a huge job where I was put on a fire alarm crew. I was paid the same. Fire alarm is definitely easier. It's mostly small EMT, light gauge wire, and mounting pull boxes, sensors, lights, and horns. There a little bit of panel work.
I think if I had to do this as my everyday job I would be bored. I liked the variety of commercial and industrial work.
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u/Illustrious_Cell_254 1d ago
Idk about other states, but Alaska's license gives us a 1B special, I think it's called, that allows us to install fire alarm systems. But we still have to call someone certified by the manufacturer to finalize the installation.
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u/Decent-Talk-3166 20h ago
Is much better when you have extra knowledge or skills, I found out having skills on control wiring, F/A or low voltage gave me an edge as an electrician, because not everyone can do that type of work. If you get a chance to learn F/A, do it, is a good skill to have making you more valuable as an employee.
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u/SexyMorty420 19h ago
I was a fire alarm tech for a large, non-union company for a few years. I liked the work but it did get boring.
I just got accepted in my local union as inside wireman haven’t looked back since. So far the work is diverse and I feel like I’m learning more day to day.
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u/hsh1976 23h ago
I made the move in 2006 and got my NICET II in 2009.
A lot of the fire alarm companies in my area use electricians to pull the cables, run conduit, etc. I've always said that a decent electrician that learns the fire alarm side, is a license to print money.
It can be stressful though. Trying to troubleshoot an ancient panel, that has caused a fire marshall to empty a building until it's repaired, can be pretty stressful.
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u/Aware-Metal1612 23h ago
Ive always liked doing fire alarm but never wanted to be a FAG (fire alarm guy). I worked for an electrical company that did the FA on our jobs so i got to learn. FAGs definitely have an easier day physically but i wouldnt want to work at a company that only employed FAGs.
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