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A Tradition of Leadership in New Technology and its Application
E-J Electric Installation Company was established in 1899. During the past century, we have created an outstanding reputation for the development of expertise in all emerging electrical technologies and their applications. This determination to lead, instead of to follow, has been the cornerstone of the growth and success of E-J Electric throughout our long and distinguished history.
As a result of its "leading edge" philosophy, E-J is today an unusually versatile company, offering services ranging from the delivery of bulk power, to value engineering, to energy conservation, to computer networking in both new or existing buildings and facilities. E-J Electric and its affiliates provide the design, layout, project supervision, and installation expertise necessary to assure a highly reliable, economical, state-of-the-art installation that meets the individual needs of each client.
History/Location
 Founded in 1899, E-J Electric is the oldest independent electrical contractor in the Country.
Jacques Mann entered the company in 1912 and became a leader in the electrical field focusing on theatrical and performing arts. E-J was the foremost shipbuilding electrical contractor in the United States during World War II, with offices at shipyards throughout the country. An office in Mexico City was active in the 1940's designing and installing the largest motion picture studio in the country.
In the past decade E-J has excelled in high technology projects, ranging from hospitals to robotic installations and communication links. The company is headquartered in New York City and has established international joint ventures with:
· Rosser & Russell Ltd. - United Kingdom
· Saunier Duval Electricite - France
· Kandenko Co., Ltd - Japan and Hong Kong
The Beginning
 E-J Electric's history began during the infancy of the electrical industry. In 1899, during the era of paper and wood-lined conduits and combination gas/electric lighting fixtures, Mr. Jack Enright and Mr. Theodore Joseph founded E-J Electric Installation Co. Four years later, in 1903, E-J became a member of the New York City Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA). In 1912, Mr. Joseph hired Mr. Jacques R. Mann, who had begun his career with Walter Kidde Construction, as an estimator and construction engineer; thus beginning the three-generation involvement of the Mann family at E-J Electric.
Jacques Mann, when interviewed in 1958, recalled the equipment and installation practices which were current at the time he joined E-J. In the early 1900's, conduits in use consisted of the heavy and light-walled iron types, or wooden and paper-lined brass-armored types. In those early days, many concepts existed for the design of equipment and systems, and recognized industry leaders and authorities sometimes championed different approaches. For example, H. Ward Leonard, a theatrical engineer, sponsored the lined conduit, while Fremont Wilson (the first Electrical Inspector for the New York Board of Fire Underwriters), sponsored the unlined type. But, the brass-wood strips in the lined conduits occasionally caused installation difficulties when the strips worked loose during pulling, thus tangling the conductors. As a result, the lined conduits eventually fell into disfavor and their use was discontinued.
Early 1900 Wiring Methods
 Enclosures for panelboards were wooden cabinets, known as trays; they were fabricated in the field, usually out of scraps found on the jobsite. Those wooden trays were then lined with 16-gauge sheet iron, and conduit entries were drilled through the wood and sheet iron lining permitting conductor connection to the panelboard. Raceways and wiring methods typically employed for residential applications were circular loom, Attix wire, and grooved wooden moldings with capping. BX was only used on an occasional basis. Lighting outlets were usually located at gas fixtures and fixtures were normally used in combination with the gas because few people had enough confidence in the reliability of the electrical supply to trust it completely.
Also, in those days, lamps had carbon filaments and were rated in candlepower, with the largest commercially available lamp rated at 32 candlepower. One early installation at a new hotel in Long Branch, NJ, was equipped with series - connected arc lamps. The 1000V/AC lines were open, cleat work run on the ceilings. Mr. Mann reminisced that "Not long thereafter the hotel burned down". Feeders for large buildings were three-wire makeups, two hot and a neutral. However, an additional neutral conductor was generally provided, should it be later decided to install a private power plant, typically a two-wire system. In general, installation practices were far from standardized.
DC - The Popular Choice
DC power was more popular than AC for several reasons. One explanation was the fact that state authorities had selected an AC generator with which to electrocute criminals at Sing Sing Prison. Another reason was that the great inventor Thomas A. Edison and General Electric both were advocates of DC power. Additional objections were related to control of AC motors. For example, elevators which operated on AC systems were difficult to start and stop smoothly, and were excessively noisy. However, regardless of the objections to it, AC power was eventually selected as the power of choice due in large part to the efforts of George Westinghouse, a major proponent of its use. One of the first significant AC power distribution systems was installed at Wanamaker's Department Store in New York City. It consisted of 1000V/AC primary distribution, run on the building's exterior to local step-down transformers hung beneath the windows, which provided two-wire 50V/AC secondary distribution.
From the time E-J Electric entered the field of electrical contracting, the company has focused on offering "specialized" services, in addition to the commonly expected design and installation functions provided by other electrical contractors. In its early years, one specialty E-J recognized as a related business was the servicing of the entertainment industry. When sound became part of the movies, E-J developed unique methods for wiring studios and theaters. And, when electronics first came into use for the control of stage lighting, the company again led the field. E-J installed the first reactor-type dimming controls for AC lighting at the famous Daly Theater on Broadway. The reactors were induction coils and the dimming was obtained by inserting a large chunk of iron into each coil. Since then, the industry has pioneered the development of new products and techniques for the electronic control of three-color house lighting and five-color stage lighting, as well as computerized, multiplex control systems.
E-J in the Entertainment Industry
 E-J Electric's expertise in the electrification of entertainment facilities expanded when the motion picture industry went indoors to produce movies on a gigantic scale. At that time, E-J assumed the role of industry leader by producing a number of innovative techniques and assisting in the development of National Electrical Code (NFPA 70) rules for such applications. Almost all of the large East-coast movie studios were E-J projects. In fact, the renovation of the Paramount Astoria motion picture studio, which was designed and installed under Jacques Mann during the original construction, was redesigned and supervised forty years later by J. Robert Mann, Jr., Jacques' son and today's CEO of E-J Electric.
Reconciliation of prevailing code requirements with accepted practices in the motion picture industry was the subject of a piece written by Jacques Mann for the Journal of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers in 1930. His paper, "Some Aspects of the National Code as Applied to the Motion Picture Industry", provided electrical professionals who were designing and installing such systems with much needed insight to NEC requirements - at a time when the accepted practices, techniques, and technology were changing at a staggering rate. That effort was a colossal benefit to both the motion picture and electrical industries because many designers and installers specializing in such applications had only a vague familiarity, if any, with NEC rules and regulations.
Mexican Subsidiary Designs Motion Picture Studio
 Electrica Mexam, a subsidiary of E-J Electric organized in 1942, directed the design and installation of the electrical system for a mammoth motion picture studio in Mexico City. This facility, which consisted of 25 different buildings spread across a 31-acre tract, required a complete substation with duplicate banks of transformers and switchgear and a powerhouse containing a 60 foot metal-clad main switchboard assembly of individual switchgear cubicles. The ratings and operating characteristics for a variety of equipment such as motors, generators, transformers, etc., had to be carefully correlated to assure proper operation, adequate protection, and normal service life in the high altitude (7300ft) of Mexico City.
Over the years, E-J's entertainment client list has included such world renowned venues as Radio City Music Hall (where E-J continues to provide electrical maintenance today) and New York's original Metropolitan Opera House. The company has also been responsible for electrical installations at the new theaters at John Jay Criminal College, Jazz @ Lincoln Center and Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School, home of New York's High School for the Performing Arts and School of Arts and Music which was featured in the movie "Fame".
Security, Fire Safety and Voice Communication Systems
Another specialty that E-J identified as a related business was the design, installation, and maintenance of security systems. From installing alarm wiring in the early part of this century to successfully assuming complete design and installation responsibility for today's sophisticated computer-based security, building management, life safety and fire safety systems, E-J has again distinguished itself as an industry leader. Projects such as the fire-safety system upgrade of the McGraw-Hill Building that provides better voice communication, fire detection, and status reporting to the central fire command station, and STAR FIRE, the New York City Fire Department's system for dispatching, tracking, and recording activities of all available fire-fighting equipment within the five boroughs, fully demonstrate E-J's expertise in this technology.
E-J's Efforts in World War II
 In 1940, the construction industry in the New York City area was severely depressed. Several of the firm's foremen had previous experience with shipboard wiring and systems, or had served in the US Navy, so E-J decided to expand its capability and pursue work in marine electrical applications. The company's first contract was with the Jefferson Boat & Marine Co. in Jeffersonville, Ind., where E-J was awarded a contract for four P.C. subchasers. After the first ship had been completed, E-J was retained to electrify four more subchasers. These 176 foot PC's were difficult to wire because of the extraordinary concentration, and the variety of equipment needed. Despite the number of tremendous challenges these ships presented, E-J Electric successfully overcame every obstacle.
Before E-J had finished completing the second group of four ships, the US Navy introduced the large and ambitious LST (Landing Ship Tanks) program. In order to fabricate the large number of 340 foot ships which were required, the Louisville Barge Co. began construction of what was to become the largest inland ship-building facility in the country. E-J was the electrical contractor selected to assume sole responsibility for directing expansion of the entire electrical system at the shipyard, and installation of the electrical systems and equipment on all ships to be built. During the following months, E-J had as many as 2300 electrical employees on its payroll at a given time. The critical nature of this program required an aggressive and intensive construction schedule. E-J masterminded and oversaw that schedule, and the result was a production rate of seven LST's every month - more than one a week at the Louisville yard alone.
Although the schedule required a large crew of electricians, only a very small number of skilled electrical workers were actually available in the Jeffersonville and Louisville areas. To overcome this problem, E-J, in cooperation with the Louisville Board of Education (which provided classroom and laboratory facilities), began the daunting task of training a substantial number of farmers, clerks, bartenders, or almost anyone who responded to the newspaper ads. E-J personnel served as instructors, and the company provided the training materials necessary to conduct a "cram" course in electrical construction techniques for this diverse student body. Due to time constraints it was not possible to graduate fully qualified electricians; however, it was possible to produce specialists skilled in a single aspect of the installation. In addition, as the war dragged on, the company recognized that women would be needed to contribute to this effort and, before the program ended, E-J had as many as 120 women doing termination and assembly work.
E-J ELECTRIC Receives 5 "E" Awards
Another innovative idea pioneered by E-J Electric was the use of pressed-steel watertight panels and outlet boxes. Navy specifications at that time called for the use of either cast-bronze or cast-aluminum boxes. However, when E-J demonstrated the significant weight savings that could be realized by the use of the pressed-steel enclosures, without compromising reliability, the Navy opted for the alternative presented, and E-J became the first contractor to use the pressed-steel boxes which are now in general use throughout the US Navy.
E-J's incomparable effectiveness as project managers, designers, innovators and installers was recognized by the US Navy and was a key element in the Navy's decision to retain E-J's services for additional projects, particularly at the Nashville Bridge Company in Nashville, Tennessee, and at the Leathem Smith Shipbuilding Company, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Because of its proficiency in completing selected, specific assignments, E-J was chosen to run the entire electrical construction departments at both yards and was presented with 5 "E" awards by the United States Navy for its ship wiring achievements.
After World War II, E-J performed major electrical installations at Bronx Municipal Hospital, the 26th Ward Sewage Treatment Plant, the Schlitz Brewery, the West Side Airline Terminal, and a number of projects for the New York Telephone Co.
Bob Mann Joins E-J ELECTRIC
 Bob Mann, who graduated from Yale University in 1951 with honors in Electrical Engineering, joined E-J after a two year term in the U.S. Army Signal Corps specializing in sound and motion picture work. Under his leadership, E-J Electric expanded and evolved into one of the leading electrical contractors in the country.
Prisons, Court Houses and Correctional Facilities in the 1950's
In the 1950's, the company took advantage of an opportunity to develop the specialized know-how necessary for the design and installation of power, lighting, control, and security systems for correctional facilities. Projects such as the Brooklyn House of Detention and the Queens Court House and Prison gave E-J the responsibility for overall power distribution, as well as security systems, tamper-proof lighting, electric control of locks and other unique systems and equipment which were needed to conform to the overriding concern for maximum security.
Throughout the 60's, and 70's, E-J Electric continued to sharpen its diverse skills through a variety of notable commercial, industrial, and institutional projects and the broad scope of its work included a number of unique installations. These projects ranged from providing power, lighting, and controls for Otto Preminger's viewing room on East 64th Street in Manhattan, to designing and installing the first coordinated Sound and Light presentation at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, to wiring the original Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit at New York Hospital- Cornell Medical Center (including all the characteristic and intricate grounding, detectors, alarms, and computer power systems).
United Airlines Computerization in 120 Cities
 In the 1970's United Airlines decided to computerize its reservation system. They chose E-J Electric to direct and oversee the entire project because E-J was capable of producing significant savings over the use of factory-wired components and it could assume unit responsibility for the total assignment. E-J became the expert electrical contracting firm in the U.S. on installing nation-wide computerized reservation systems for airlines. This complicated job required the interconnection of 250 individual locations with 150 tons of data/comm equipment, using 12,000 miles of communication circuits. To accomplish this task, E-J entered into a joint venture arrangement with local NECA contractors for most of the contracts. To assure timely completion and uniform installation, step-by-step instructions were compiled for field personnel and a copy was provided to each of the cooperating contractors. E-J's strategy was a key element in the successful, on-time completion of the entire project.
Wesleyan University and Consolidated Edison Projects
 Educational facilities have been another area in which E-J Electric has acquired unique expertise. The company has completed projects as varied in scope and nature as the first Nuclear Power Laboratory in the US at Cornell University to the Cross Campus Library at Yale University to Beach Channel High School (where E-J was contracted to oversee the installation of power, lighting, and telephone systems for labs and administrative areas at the Oceanography Lab that was built on 20 acres of reclaimed land).
Additional projects have included bulk distribution of medium-voltage and 600V power for such customers as Wesleyan University, the New York City Transit Authority, Consolidated Edison of New York, and the Long Island Railroad. Although many contracting firms are able to successfully design and install the more common place 600V systems and equipment, medium-voltage applications require a higher level of knowledge and skill, and E-J has repeatedly proven its competence in this particular aspect of electrical work. Energy Conservation and Cogeneration Design/Build projects have given owners and the public more value for their electrical dollar.
An example of one of the more demanding contracts performed by E-J was the rehabilitation of the Long Island Railroad in Pennsylvania Station and the complete construction of major 13kV substations along the North Shore for LIRR power. During the entire period of the project, power was never interrupted for any train. This contract was managed under the watchful eye of Charles Chandesh, E-J's Chief Engineer and Estimator for over thirty years. Several large Transit authority power projects were also contracted for during this time. These jobs were at the Coney Island Yards and at substations throughout New York City. Chandesh, who died in 1985, is still remembered as the leader in estimating training for the New York Electrical Industry.
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