Customer Reviews

Advanced Home Wiring (Black & Decker)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I purchased this book at the same time that I purchased Black and Decker's THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO HOME WIRING, thinking that it would take me to the next level and provide me with additional information. In a nutshell it was merely an abridged version of the aforementioned book and added NO NEW information. It was easy to read, and easy to follow, but omitted some of the basic background information that their other book included. I think the novice home electrician could get by with either book, although I give the nod to the COMPLETE GUIDE..... as a more helpful and a more thorough instruction and reference book.

Procedures are clearly explained with plenty of visuals. It is like having a good coach. You are guided to make a plan. You are cautioned on safety measures. There are numerous citations from the The National Electrical Code Reference Book with regard to placement of receptacles, and standard wiring procedure. You will learn about electrical panel boxes, end of run and hot wires. Most importantly you get advice on how to evaluate your needs by converting watts to amps. A must read for homeowners.

Advanced Home Wiring tells you everything you need to know about wiring your house from the beginning to the end. Each chore is thoroughly explained with both color pictures and text. The majority of pictures are photographs and the latest technology is shown. Not only does it instruct you in the actual wiring of receptacles, switches, etc. but it also goes into detail how to install such things as boxes, ceiling fans, exhaust fans, and sub-panels. Outside wiring and use of conduit is included. It details how to determine how many receptacles to put on a circuit and how to plan your entire project. I was most happy with it. I have become a fan of Black and Decker books.

I won't repeat what other reviews had to say about this book. I agree, this is an excellent guidebook particularly the crystal clear circuit maps for common layouts which alone are worth the cost of the book. My book got damaged and I replaced it with B&D's other book, The Complete Guide to Home Wiring, which contains everything found in the Advanced Wiring book plus an additional section with info on basics, small repair projects, and material descriptions. Even if you already know most of this stuff there is always a few more tips you'll pickup by reading through it which I thought was worth the extra 10 bucks. The bottom line: B&D is superior guidebook for Home Wiring due to the comprehensive info they pack in plus tons of helpful photos. Only shortcomings are not enough explanation of grounding principles which I've found in other guides and would have like more tips for working on the service panel.

The better buy is "The Complete Guide to Home Wiring - 3rd Edition : Includes Information on Home Electronics & Wireless Technology (Black & Decker)" (ISBN: 1589232135).

It contains almost all of the info in "Advanced Home Wiring" but much more for about the same price. Same pictures and also published by Black and Decker/Creative Publishing Iinternational.

Double the size much more on home wiring. I own both and was able to compare.

Buyers who expect this book to describe wiring for completed homes are in for a rude surpise. This book details wiring for a home under **construction**. But the other details like photographs and description are excellent.

Published in 1992, a follow up to the Basic Wiring and Electrical Repairs book put out also by Black & Decker, this book has great photos and easy to understand explanations covering how to do more complicated electrical tasks. While the first book was repair and maintenance, this book moves into renovation and remodeling, with chapters on project planning, tools & techniques, Wiring a Room Addition, Wiring a Remodeled Kitchen, Installing Outdoor Wiring. From this book I learned how to install new breakers in the main fuse panel, a project I was terrified of trying. This really is a very good book for the non-professional. Now the two books are combined in the 2001 The Complete Guide to Home Wiring by Black & Decker

It has some usefull info but, If you get Complete wiring by Black & Decker it already has all that, another words this book is a small portion of the complete book for almost the same price, identical material, so by the complete book for extra 5 dollars. I am telling you thhis because I did buy them both, just to find out that I wasted time and money. I will give it one star only because I want you to know about it. ( people like to read 1 star reviews ) other than that, there is nothing wrong with this book...

I found this book to be ideal for my basement project. Lots of detail and great illustrations to make things easy to understand. This is a good reference guide for any do-it-yourselfer.

90% of the information from this book was published in The Complete Photo Guide to Home Improvement by Black and Decker. If you are going to spend the money just get the Complete Photo Guide instead of this book.