Nec

[ceb58]

I have been thinking on this one for a while and would like to hear your take on it. As far as the whole world is concerned, is the NEC one of the most complete standard for the electrical trade as it stands today. We have seen post and questions from Iraq about the problems they have had and the deaths that have occurred. We have seen electrical installations from other countries that leave you shaking your head. For those that have had experience in other countries how dose there's (if they have one) compare to the NEC?

 

[bphgravity]

From what I have been told, South Africa and Germany have really comprehensive and highly technical codes and standards for electrical installations.

The European IEC codes are on par with the NFPA codes and I have read that Japan and China have and are in the process of creating world-class electrical codes to revial that of the NEC.

I would imagine the electrical construction taking place in Dubai right now is probably second to none. I am not certain what codes and standards they are using there.

 

[macmikeman]

Those other codes aren't very good. They don't define whether the ground goes down or up......

 

[ceb58]

I would imagine the electrical construction taking place in Dubai right now is probably second to none. I am not certain what codes and standards they are using there.

Have they not lost 1 or 2 buldings to elect. fires due to lack of and/or improper grounding?

 

[480sparky]

Have they not lost 1 or 2 buldings to elect. fires due to lack of and/or improper grounding?

Even if true, that doesn't necessarily disqualify the Standard they use. We have the NEC, yet look at some of the stuff posted here for our, uh, 'amusement'. Just because there are rules is no guarantee everyone follows them. Remember the movie Towering Inferno?

 

[ceb58]

Even if true, that doesn't necessarily disqualify the Standard they use. We have the NEC, yet look at some of the stuff posted here for our, uh, 'amusement'. Just because there are rules is no guarantee everyone follows them. Remember the movie Towering Inferno?

Point taken. The things I have seen on the building of the isle of palms and such shows workers from all over the world coming and going for the construction. Maybe bringing bad habits with them.
But lets forget the "amusement" part for a moment. NEC in its form as is written. How dose it measure up?

 

[480sparky]

..... NEC in its form as is written. How dose it measure up?

I think it was Winston Churchill who said, "Democracy is a terrible form of government, but it's the best thing we've got right now."

Mebbe the same can be said for the NEC.

 

[benaround]

Ceb58,

I would say that any set of Standards, if followed , that will produce the desired results of

a 'safe' system is a good set of Standards. If the Standard can convey it's message to the

user in a way that understanding the message is easy by the majority, then that makes it

better. jmo.

 

[pfalcon]

As both a writer and user of company specs I would vote that the NEC is better than par. As to other country specs I have only seen the EN/IEC/ISO series of specs which I feel are less than par.

My reasoning is this:
Though I feel that both specs do a good job in content, the NEC is far easier for retrieving that content. There is a balance that must be maintained between "general" and "specific" detail. Code that is too general creates an excessive number of posts on this forum :wink:. Code that is too specific will become so bloated that it contradicts itself.

The danger to the future of the NEC is becoming bloated. Why should a mobile home be wired differently than a foundation home? Why should they not use the best practices of both instead of permitting inferior practices on one or the other? Since the mobile home has its own section it could easily permit practices that have long been banned on a foundation home. Go and review the code for the entertainment industry to see some really neat practices banned anywhere else.

My view is that the EN/IEC/ISO series is well past the point of bloat. The NEC is starting to follow.

 

[ryan_618]

If the 2011 has as many huge changes as the 2008 did, I really wonder what the industry backlash will be. We saw huge opposition to the 2008 from state/local governments that adopted the code. I wonder if any local governments woul consider the IEC if the manufacturers keep filling the NEC with new products/technologies that are rapidly driving the price of housing up.

 

[joebell]

I wonder if any local governments woul consider the IEC if the manufacturers keep filling the NEC with new products/technologies that are rapidly driving the price of housing up.

Isn't that one of the reasons it is updated ever 3 years to keep pace with technology?


Joe

 

[480sparky]

If the 2011 has as many huge changes as the 2008 did, I really wonder what the industry backlash will be. We saw huge opposition to the 2008 from state/local governments that adopted the code. I wonder if any local governments woul consider the IEC if the manufacturers keep filling the NEC with new products/technologies that are rapidly driving the price of housing up.

Here.... use this one starting tomorrow:

Let us know how it works out for you............:wink:

 

[wbalsam1]

I am very impressed with the work of NFPA. Always have been....probably always will be.

 

[480sparky]

I am very impressed with the work of NFPA. Always have been....probably always will be.

Especially considering the sheer number of standards they produce.

 

[ryan_618]

I'm not saying new technologies shouldn't be incorporated, I'm simply saying that it has to remain reasonable. We can't make buildings airplane proof. We can't make a dwelling fire proof. We can't make cars that are crash proof.

Actually, we can make cars that are crash proof. They are called tanks. Do you think the auto insurance companies should start mandating their use? Or should we keep our world an affordable one to live in?

 

[480sparky]

.....Actually, we can make cars that are crash proof. They are called tanks. Do you think the auto insurance companies should start mandating their use? Or should we keep our world an affordable one to live in?

I don't know..... driving to work in an Abrams M1A1 sounds kind of fun.... Traffic jams wouldn't be much of a problem. :grin: It would also take of the customers who don't want to pay....

 

[wbalsam1]

..................
Actually, we can make cars that are crash proof. They are called tanks. Do you think the auto insurance companies should start mandating their use? Or should we keep our world an affordable one to live in?

Go for the tanks, what the heck, I can't afford to live anyway.

 

[cowboyjwc]

I'm not saying new technologies shouldn't be incorporated, I'm simply saying that it has to remain reasonable. We can't make buildings airplane proof. We can't make a dwelling fire proof. We can't make cars that are crash proof.

Actually we can and I've been told by engineers that we can, nobody could afford to build it, but it could be done.

Like the old joke says, just make the airplanes out of the same stuff you make the black box out of.:smile:

 

[480sparky]

Actually, you can make a building that is airplane-proof. But most people don't want to work at Cheyenne Mountain.