NEC Handbook

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John Valdes

John Valdes

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Location
SC.
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Retired Electrician
I have been hearing about the NEC Handbook for some time now. I have always just used the standard NEC code book. (soft and ring binder).
Can anyone tell me more about the hand book and it's advantages.
If it can help me find answers faster, I would consider purchasing one. Is it smaller in size as to allow for pocket use in the field.
Appreciate any information you guys and girls may have.
Thanks John
 
Definately not smaller. It is much larger.

It doesn't help find answers faster, but it does go explain the requirements of many sections. If you find many parts of the NEC confusing, the handbook gives added details, explainations, and diagrams.

Steve
 
John Valdes said:
I have been hearing about the NEC Handbook for some time now. I have always just used the standard NEC code book. (soft and ring binder).
Can anyone tell me more about the hand book and it's advantages.
If it can help me find answers faster, I would consider purchasing one. Is it smaller in size as to allow for pocket use in the field.
Appreciate any information you guys and girls may have.
Thanks John
Click to expand...

If you are looking to find answers faster, you can do no better than to purchase Ferm's Fast Finder. You can purchase it from the International Association of Electrical Inspectors (IAEI) website.

Just Google "IAEI".
 
rcarroll said:
The NEC Handbook (NECH) has pictures & unenforceable commentary. It is much larger than the soft bound book. IMO it is an asset for the trade.
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I agree 100%. Now lets hear from the Hand Book Haters.
 
steve66 said:
Definately not smaller. It is much larger.

It doesn't help find answers faster, but it does go explain the requirements of many sections. If you find many parts of the NEC confusing, the handbook gives added details, explainations, and diagrams.

Steve
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I agree, I can find pertinent articles and sections much faster in the Code book and would never think of trying to take an exam using the handbook for that reason.

OTOH, I agree with the others that the explanatory material in the hand book is very good.

Roger
 
roger said:
I agree, I can find pertinent articles and sections much faster in the Code book and would never think of trying to take an exam using the handbook for that reason.

OTOH, I agree with the others that the explanatory material in the hand book is very good.

Roger
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The Handbook is not allowed in testing room. The blue writeing my not be inforceable, but it holds a lot of weight with most AHJ's and was written by people a hell of a lot smarter than I am about the code me so I do use it in my interpitation of the code.
 
Cavie said:
The blue writeing my not be inforceable, but it holds a lot of weight with most AHJ's and was written by people a hell of a lot smarter than I am about the code me so I do use it in my interpitation of the code.
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I hope for you there will be many more blue boxes in Art. 682 in 08.:grin:

Sleep well my friend, Oct is almost here!
 
Cavie said:
The Handbook is not allowed in testing room. The blue writeing my not be inforceable, but it holds a lot of weight with most AHJ's and was written by people a hell of a lot smarter than I am about the code me so I do use it in my interpitation of the code.
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I agree, I love the NECH, and even though the explanatory material is not enforceable neither is any of the stuff that Mike has in his books. Some opinions may carry more weight than others.
 
Cavie said:
The Handbook is not allowed in testing room.
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Are you sure that's the case in all testing rooms?

BTW, in NC when testing for state licensure, we can't even take a pencil, calculator, scratch paper, or our own Code Book in, so you're preaching to the choir.

If I'm not mistaken Fl allows highlighting and tabs in the test rooms.

Roger
 
roger said:
Are you sure that's the case in all testing rooms?

If I'm not mistaken Fl allows highlighting and tabs in the test rooms.

Roger
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New Jersey allowed that too at one time. Guys would write formulas and notes all over their books. Some of the test prep guys would tell you where the blank sections in the code book were located so that you could put down additional information.;)
 
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BTW, in NC when testing for state licensure, we can't even take a pencil, calculator, scratch paper, or our own Code Book in, so you're preaching to the choir.
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Mn is the same they provide or atleast they used too.
 
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I use the NECH and find it helpfull when time allows me to read through the commentary. When in a hurry though, it makes it difficult to find specific information because the commentary spreads the text out over too many pages at times. As an alternative, I have the NEC and NECH on my laptop where I get the best results from my searches.

My 2 cents.
 
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