Customer Reviews

Illustrated Guide to the NEC: Based on the 2005 National Electrical Code

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The National Electric Code, also knows as NFPA-70, is the standard that building officials use to define what is legal to use in electric services of all kinds. NFPA is the National Fire Protection Association. The Electric Code began almost as soon as Edison wired some of his new lights in New York, and the first electricity caused fire happened. Soon thereafter the National Fire Protection Association began writing safety codes aimed at preventing fires and promoting safe wiring techniques. Today, more than a century later, the Electric Code is republished every 3 years. As new inventions and new applications for electricity are ever expanding the code book expands and is revised to define the new applications. The 2005 edition has been updated to include recent developments in available materials and equipment. The code has 772 large pages detailing every electric installation from common house wiring to installation requirements for 35,000 volt transformers. The tables detailing how many conductors you can put in a conduit go on for 50 pages in the appendix. The problem most people have with the code comes from its complexity and scope. If you are a handyman, or even an electrician, it takes years of study to learn all its requirements, and even then they change it on you.

The code is so long and complex that other books are needed to help professional and amateur electricians understand the code, translating it's stilted language and detailed requirements into plain English for common applications. The "Illustrated Guide to the National Electric Code," by Charles R. Miller, is one of the better code translations. Miller covers just about all aspects of common wiring for residential and commercial buildings. He tells you what you need to know in a simple easy to understand prose. He lets you know how to wire single and multi-family residences, businesses, and commercial applications. Where the electric code only tells you what you have to do, Miller tells you something of why that is required, so you understand the need for doing it that way. For the home handyman it's indispensable. Even a journeyman electrician may not have wired a film projector in quite a while, for example, and want to read up on the latest code requirements before proceeding. There are also review questions at the end of each chapter for those who are studying for an electrical certification or license.

Over the years I've had to straighten out so many bad and dangerous wiring messes that I recommend every handyman and electrician read this or a similar book before proceeding with any project. Read the latest version every 3 years when the code revisions come out. This edition is based on the 2005 code and will be current until 2008.

They need to find an editor that has a eye for details. I found numerous mistakes, and references to sections of the code book that the code book editors changed. The book will help you learn the NEC code, but just reading the code book will do the same. The text book won't help too much on the state exam since you can't bring it in. The calculations sections relies heavily on a work sheet that you cannot bring into the test site. Its nice to have, but no use with the exam. The diagrams and illustrations have letter marking that have corresponding informational paragraphs, but i found them to be list in a convenient circular pattern instead of listed in an easy to follow line-of-thinking method. You have to have it for your class, so just pay them the money and work some overtime to pay for it. It is my opinion that it is overpriced.

The single most important reference in the electrical industry, the National Electrical Code (NEC), is updated every three years and outlines minimum standards for all types of electrical installations. Each time the National Electrical Code® is significantly revised to keep pace with technology and enhance protection against electrical fire and shock hazards. This is a valuable reference to help you get in position to advance your knowledge and be prepared with the newest codes.

This book is like an annotated and illustrated version of the NEC 2005, explaining in a clear and understandable language that is additionally supported by clear to follow diagrams every important aspect covered by the NEC.

This book is loaded with solutions designed to provide better safeguards, add greater usability, and bring provisions in line with technology trends. Absolutely a must for anyone involved in electrical design, installation, or inspection, the 2005 NEC provides 100% of the information needed to meet Code® and avoid costly errors in electrical installations of all types.

Of the many reference and educational books I have read, this is one of the best. This book, the NEC Code and Practical Electrical Wiring by Herbert P. Richter and Frederic P. Hartwell have given me a thorough understanding of the NEC and the essential things I wanted to know before wiring a new residence. Highly recommended.

This guide is a great intro, but you need NEC if you are doing anything beyond the basics. Even for some of the basics, you need NEC. The NEC handbook, while somewhat expensive, is invaluable.

Miller's book starts where the revised edition of Rex Cauldwell's excellent Wiring a House (For Pros by Pros) ends. Unless you are an electrician or similarly experienced, you might want to start with Cauldwell's book.

Upside: Illustrated 2005 NEC is readable. I started at the beginning and progressed through the book, reading and studying illustrations in detail where needed, just scanning material I knew well. To me, this is important: Miller gave an example and an illustration immediately after every topic I found difficult to understand from a first reading. He didn't miss one. Lots of painless learning in a small amount of time. Virtually every topic is cross-referenced to the 2005 NEC. References are set off at the end of paragraphs so they don't interfere with the flow of descriptions. Color (two shades of blue) is effectively used. For example, each statement in a descriptive series is lettered with a blue bullet and there are corresponding blue bullet letters with blue lines pointing to the relevant part of an accompanying illustration or illustrations (it's more effective than my description of it).

In addition to being readable, Illustrated 2005 NEC can, with some effort, be used for reference. I wish it had a better index, but a few tries and some scanning took me to an answer for many of my queries. I found several (illustrated) answers I have been seeking: Do two one-pole circuit breakers in a single breaker position have to have a handle tie to count as one hand operation against the not-more-than-six-hand-operations disconnect rule? Can you feed the busses of a subpanel through a two-pole circuit breaker (back-fed device) rather than the lugs if you don't have a master breaker? Answers to all my questions were cross-referenced to the correct NEC article, table, or subtopic.

Downside: I was disappointed when I first thumbed Illustrated 2005 NEC. I did not expect "Illustrated" to mean so many clothes closets complete with hangers, cute cabinets, room dividers, sinks, stoves, toasters, and so on. They illustrate the book but they do not illustrate the NEC. I was surprised at the number of pages devoted to calculations worksheets; that probably isn't a downside to professional electricians. Topics I had expected were missing or skimpy (viz., I wanted a much better treatment of subpanels). Finally, there is the cost, over $50 when I bought it in mid-2007.

I bought Miller's book with my very first copy of the NEC. For all my whining, I am glad I spent the money. I would have given Illustrated 2005 NEC four-&-one-half stars if I could have.

I found the book a good reference for electrical wiring and NEC 2005.
Basically the book is targeted to electricians and installers. I failed to find any information on calculations of available short-circuit current (ASC) for service equipment. Industrial installations versus the code was not well addressed in book. In doing calculations of commercial and dwelling units one deals a lot with NEC Table 220.55 and the associated FNPs (foot notes). These FNPS are horrible cumbersome to explain the solution when dealing with multiple Ranges with different values of range's KWs. The author did vey litle in explaining and expanding this area of the code.
Joseph

This book is a great companion to the NEC 2005 codebook. It's a HUGE help.

It's a very important and easy book for all the people which have to work with the NEC. I liked it a lot.