Old NEC's

[brian john]

I posted this before but as the end of the year approaches I want to mention again, I have a large collection (with some missing ) NECs dating back to 1916 I want to unload.

I have offered to everyone in my shop but no takers.
I just do not have room at the new house

Anyone that would take care of these and not put them in the trash?

 

[roger]

Hello Brian, if I were younger and not trying to get rid of things I would jump on it, some of the younger guys ought to. Hopefully someone will be interested.

Roger

 

[augie47]

Please don't trash them. As with roger, if I was younger and more involved in the trade, I would love to have them. Both here and in the trade I have often had a need to look back at earlier Code. Hopefully someone will jump at the opportunity.

 

[infinity]

Do you have a list of what books are available? I have some holes in my collection that I'm looking to fill.

 

[K8MHZ]

I would happily take them. My collection goes back to 93, I think. I am kind of a book collector. I promise you they will not go in the trash.

FWIW, I also collect reference books. Car repair manuals, phone books, city directories, electrical text books, etc.

 

[pv_n00b]

I would happily take them. My collection goes back to 93, I think. I am kind of a book collector. I promise you they will not go in the trash.

And in 20 years I predict you will make this post. "I have a large collection (with some missing ) NECs dating back to 1916 I want to unload."

 

[don_resqcapt19]

I would love to have a 71 as that was the one that was in effect when I started...I have 75 an up, but no old ones, and would not have any room for a full collection.

 

[darkenergy]

It would require a huge investment of people, time, and MONEY to scan every code from the beginning, and make it available online… For free!

If my Retirement Plan works out, (I buy one Powerball© and one mega millions© every time I buy snuff… Now down to once every 1/2-2 weeks). I might check back here to see if anyone else was interested. Maybe some arbitrary cutoff of two or three code cycles back, NFPA has to make money somehow. And there may be lawyers involved.

Might be only hearsay, but I have heard that the part where it says/said "protect life and property" (which I can't find right now, big general problem when I'm reading the code anyhow) supposedly did not include "life" in the original version or two.

It is my understanding that ALL CODES were originally started/most likely funded by insurance companies. Same concept as the 'Hartford loop' for low-pressure steam boilers.

Regardless of what the original preamble or whatever it's called said or didn't say.....Any thought of/for human life has been secondary up until fairly recent times IMO. It's Primarily/always about the money to replace property, unfortunately. Gold digging lawyers (40% fee currently ?) And their willing accomplices are a fairly recent phenomena.

New American credo : if you can't be X, SUE X

But 'we the people' successfully turned the tables on TPTB* at least once in reference to codes. Please bear in mind that all codes as far as I'm aware are the absolute MINIMUM for 'safety'. While hard to read/interpret unless you are willing to invest a huge amount of personal time, The codes are a great tool. End of story IMO (In My Opinion)

I finally heard the term enough times, (NEC style manual ) that I have attempted to read it at least a few times. The first thing I noticed was the .10 (uses permitted ) and .12 (uses not permitted)..(Hope I got that right!)...Convention(s)', I think this/they're called … are common in many articles, or whatever you call them, LOL! Several other 'things' make more sense once you attempt to start to read this manual.

My original thoughts on trying to learn the code had to do with electrocution/fire/electrical damage quite naturally. (I have never been shocked, and I have never lied). I will concede that I have let the smoke out a few things.

Once the fire starts , EVERYTHING CLEARLY MAKES SENSE Relating to fire alarms/life safety from a human trying to escape a burning structure Perspective. it is only the cynic in me that feels that the requirements/standards are lowered as 'occupancy' diminishes.

Of course, 'money spent' is a very real and legitimate concern, more and more so every day. While I have been in a few 'residences' that are/were sprinkled, I'm pretty sure it would've been a nonstarter on average from the get go based on some of the quality of the work I've seen across the trades. And can you imagine the codes?… We would be arguing about why you should never install pipes full of standing water in locations exposed to ambient temperatures. (I don't believe they had 'dry systems' back when it was at least economically feasible to consider) plus… Did I mention 110.12?

omg! 110.10 and 110.12 don't follow the convention! unless I have yet again misinterpreted something.
No need to mention lawyers again. Or politicians… Hey! The vast majority of politicians are…

*TPTB = The Powers That Be

Big shout out to Mike Holt and everyone else involved to the current day. Thank You!

 

[texie]

I would love to have a 71 as that was the one that was in effect when I started...I have 75 an up, but no old ones, and would not have any room for a full collection.

I have 75 and up as well. I also would like a 71. As a practical matter I find having the older editions handy to have for some situations. As you know, this was the odd time they skipped a year. Don't remember why though.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

I have 75 and up as well. I also would like a 71. As a practical matter I find having the older editions handy to have for some situations. As you know, this was the odd time they skipped a year. Don't remember why though.

71 and earlier they were named for the year when the NFPA membership voted to adopt the code, but they took effect the beginning of the following year. There was not really a skipped year, just a change in how they were named starting with the 75 code.

 

[brian john]

The NECs are gone, to a worthy library of an MH member.