The terms Journeyman Electrician and Master Electrician are essentially progressions on the level of license to be qualified to carry out electrical work in the United States. The distinction is somewhat akin to that between someone with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accountancy, and a Master’s Degree in Accountancy. Both are qualified to be accountants, but the latter has considerably more training and experience.

Specifically, if you look at the electrical licensing codes for different states then the difference is that whilst aJourneyman Electrician would be expected to have the skill necessary to wire up and install electrical equipment and wiring, a Master Electrician would be expected to be able to take that process one step further and actually be able to both plan out and organize how an electrical installation should take place, as well as being able to supervise otherJourneyman Electricians as they completed the work.

So in large part, the designation comes down to experience and being able to manage other people.

If you hire a Master Electrician then this is likely to be someone with ten years plus of experience, and a work record that has exposed them to a number of different challenging electrical environments. And they will also most likely have supervised other electricians and acted as mentors. Whilst a journeyman electrician may have four or five years’ experience, and whilst they can do most electrical jobs that are thrust their way, they don’t have the same breadth of experience, and may still potentially need to ask for advice in tricky situations that they haven’t come across before.

In such circumstances, it would be a Master Electrician that they would be likely to turn to for advice.

In most states in the United States the distinction between the two grades of electricians is carried out by bracketing them into Class A and B licenses, of which there would usually be both for Journeyman Electricians and Master Electricians.

Class A and Class B Master Electricians

These electricians will generally have had to have met the specific requirements for that individual state, which will normally include passing a written exam, possibly appearing in front of a board to answer questions, as well as meeting certain minimum levels of work experience.

Class A and Class B Journeyman Electricians

Again, certain specific state requirements will have had to have been met and exams passed. A journeyman electrician of either class would be expected to have less experience and skills than a master electrician of either class.

The distinction between the classes in both cases is that a “Class A” license carries no restrictions (within the context of the skills that it is licensing), whilst a “Class B” license does come with some restrictions.

It’s incredible the way lighting can change outdoor spaces. As is the case with indoor spaces, spending comparatively little on lighting can produce dramatic results. A DIY outdoor lighting project might be just the thing to make you fall in love with your home all over again. But before you begin an outdoor lighting project, it’s important to think about your options. Here are 10 tips for 10 approaches to outdoor lighting.

1. Using Outdoor String Lights

Outdoor string lights are just great. But there are so many different kinds! Some have bare bulbs; some have lanterns. Some are LED; some incandescent. Some are white; some are colored. Make sure you research your options and choose the ones that are right for YOU!

2. Taking DIY Outdoor Lighting to the Next Level

Sure, you can install a standard low voltage lighting fixture and be justified when you say you Did It Yourself, but have you ever considered making your own DIY outdoor lighting fixtures? Mason jars seem to be the ingredient of choice when constructing your own outdoor lights. The internet is full of instructions for making DIY outdoor lighting fixtures, so do your homework and find the perfect project to make your outdoor area more luminous.

3 . Making it Modern

Let’s get weird! Isn’t that what modern outdoor lighting seems to say? I guess it depends on whom you ask. Modern outdoor lighting usually consists of interesting light fixtures with unusual, playful designs, and they can really make your outdoor vibe more interesting and thought-provoking.

4. Showing Off Textures

Sometimes you start with a particular light source in mind. These days, that light source is often LED. If you’re sure you want to use outdoor LED lights, you have a wide variety of outdoor LED light fixture types, from LED rope to LED tape to LED path lights, step lights, puck lights, recessed lights, and string lights. LED outdoor lights are highly efficient and look great. And some, like the one above, run on solar power! That means free!

8. Decking Out the Deck

If you are focused specifically on outdoor deck lighting, make sure you think about caution. Outdoor deck lighting should entail step lights if there are steps and should include lights around the perimeter of the deck. LED tape or rope, colored or white, are often great for running on the underside of deck railings.

9. Using Timers