Illustrated Guide to the National Electric Code (Illustrated Guide to the National Electrical Code) (Paperback)

by Charles R. Miller (Author) "After studying this unit, the student should: be able to give a brief account of electricity in its infancy..." (more)
Key Phrases: main power feeder, next standard size fuse, outline lighting system, Reference Answer, Size the Neutral Conductor, Competency Test (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
The second edition of Illustrated Guide to the National Electrical Code® leads professional electricians, electrical inspectors, and readers on a visual tour through the entire 2002 NEC®, conveniently grouping Code requirements according to type of occupancy, including: one-family dwellings, multi-family dwellings, commercial locations, and special occupancies and equipment. Central to the book are more than 600 technically precise, highly detailed illustrations that convey insights into NEC® requirements and reduce the potential for misinterpretation of the sometimes vague and often complex language of the Code. Concise phrases and short blocks of text that can be read quickly and understood easily further enable the reader to understand what is depicted in each graphic. Now thoroughly updated based on the 2002 NEC®, this indispensable explanation of the Code also features a section on fundamentals making it equally well suited for use by the novice and master electrician alike.

Product Details

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Delmar Cengage Learning; 2 edition (November 19, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 076687334X
• ISBN-13: 978-0766873346
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #674,923 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars In Other Words...Please!, September 27, 2006

By	B. Sullivan "B. M. Sullivan" (Cedaredge, CO USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

According to admittedly subjective analysis of said text, it is my conclusion that the syntactical arrangement of information is unnecessarily convoluted.

In other words (which ought to be the title of the study guide), the language is far too elevated. I have to read over three-quarters of the sections several times in order to understand it. And I'm no dummy. I have BA in English, and I am a writer/editor. I am a layman electrician and I have to spend twice as long trying to get my questions answered than I think I should have to spend. If "luminaries" mean "lighting fixtures," then why not just say "lighting fixtures!" Now I have to mentally insert "lighting fixtures" whenever I read "luminaries." Why?! The NEC may be illustrated in this book, but text that explains the diagrams are poorly written and sometimes cryptic.

I understand I am a layman, but even if I were a electrician in training, I would be very upset with this book. I have to spend half of my time trying to decipher the language instead of simply learning the information.

In summary, I do not recommend this book. To author, Charles Miller, do us all a favor and bring the language down a notch or two. Just because the subject matter is technical, doesn't mean the language has to. The true mark of one who has mastered a craft is the ability to teach the concepts and practices in terms anyone can understand, not just other masters.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most valuable book in my truck, January 23, 2008

By	Bruce Caward "Master Electrician" (Ithaca, NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I notice that other reviewers are complaining about this book's technical language. Balderdash! For anyone familiar with the actual National Electrical Code, I assure you that this guide is ten times easier to read and apply.

The author takes a "situational" approach to explaining the NEC. When addressing swimming pools, for example, he provides an illustration of a typical installation, including every reasonable electrical requirement and likely customer request. Then he surrounds the illustration with every pertinent code requirement, each with an arrow pointing to the part of the drawing it's addressing. Instead of having to flip back and forth through the book, every code reference you need is right there, gathered together on one page, with an illustration to boot! Beautiful!

Have trouble with motor calculations? His drawings and explanations on this subject alone is worth the price of this book.

Perhaps what other reviewers have misunderstood is that this is not a "how-to" book. It was not intended to be something to explain to a homeowner how to wire a 3-way switch. For that, go to Lowes and buy "You Can Do It!--Wiring For Novices", or "How To Burn Your Own House Down!", or whatever it's called.

This is an illustrated guide, intended to aid professionals (and reasonably bright laymen) in the application of what can seem like the arcane requirements of the NRC.

I am a career electrician, with over 30 years of professional experience. I have also taught the trade to high school tech students, and have used this book with amazing success. I highly recommend it to anyone who has to use the regular Codebook in any way.

By the way, "Luminaire" is a designation for the trusty old "light fixture" that was foisted upon us by the NEC in the 2002 Code revamping. In an attempt to make the Code more "international" (read: more book sales abroad) they adopted this ludicrous nomenclature, evidently to appease the French. How about "Yo, mes amis. It's "LIGHT FIXTURE" from now on. Cappish?"

They also took this opportunity to inflict the cursed metric system on us, to the great annoyance and inconvenience of everyone (Man, don't even get me started).

Bon Chance, Bruce

5.0 out of 5 stars Possibly the best NEC guide available., March 25, 2008

By	Eric M. Williams - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is the most well written guide to the NEC I have ever read. The information is well presented, well written, and devoid of grammatical or printing errors. To a working electrician, its layout is extremely logical, in that it takes the information of the NEC, and lays it out in a very practical manner. In other words, it teaches concepts of the NEC as they would be applied in the real world. I highly recommend this book to the working electrician, and others interested in learning about how the NEC is meant to be applied.