Which NECH to buy.

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AC-DC

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There are two main 2005 NECH books I see out there:
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and
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Both on Amazon right now, here and here. The blue one's about half the cost, but I want to get the right one, or are they both good/equal? Would the "blue" one be explained by more 'normal people' and more quickly understood? I know the NFPA though, are the ones who put out the NEC in the first place. Was going to buy today on Amazon, but changed my mind for reasons just stated!
 
Re: Which NECH to buy.

I have the yellow one...which is from the NFPA, as opposed to McGraw/Hill version.
 
Re: Which NECH to buy.

The McGraw-Hill version is authored by Joe and Brian McPartland. Joe McPartland was and still is the mentor of both Mike Holt and Tom Henry. I have heard them both describe Joe as one of the most code knowledgable person ever. Just something to think about when you are making your purchasing decisions.
 
Re: Which NECH to buy.

I have been actively using the NEC since the 1975 version. For whatever it is worth - over the years, there is no question that I have learned more from the McGraw-Hill book,than the NFPA book.
 
Re: Which NECH to buy.

Which NEC handbook to buy?

None of them.

Truth be told I don't really like any of the handbooks out there. They are big, bulky and not user friendly. I don't find them all that helpful, and if I owned one it would gather dust.

Handbooks simply contain people's interpretations and opinions, and I'd like to think that I can also make my own interpreations and opinions without assistance. After all, I do residential work primarily which is not rocket science and the code rules that pertain to residential work are quite clear for the most part. (Unless we are talking about how many small appliance branch circuits to inlude in load calculations. :)

All that said, I am not entirely against supplemental material. My aversion to it is simply trying to avoid falling into a trap of relying on supplemental material rather than reading and trying to understand the code itself. I do like Mike Holt's "Understaning the NEC" series, and I highly recommend them. They could probably be considered handbook type material. What I like most about them is their liberal use of graphics.
 
Re: Which NECH to buy.

I have the NEC Handbook and really like it. My biggest complaint is that it does not have the lines along the margins that are in the regular NEC code book. These are of great help when looking for various code changes that have taken place since the last code cycle. I still can't understand why the Handbook does not have them.
 
Re: Which NECH to buy.

**** WARNING ****, this is a biased statement.

I think the NFPA's edition of the NEC Handbook would be a better source since an NFPA representative is in every panel meeting and may be a source for background information. It is not necessary for just the panel statements to be used to write the commentaries. I am aware that we have guests in some of the panel meetings but there are not as many as you might imagine. :D
 
Re: Which NECH to buy.

Which one are they allowed to use on the exams. In CT the allowed books are either the 2002 or 2005 NFPA, NEC, code or handbook for the E-1 or the E-2 exams. This is how it is written in the PSI test information.
Lou
 
Re: Which NECH to buy.

If the handbook is permitted, I'm sure it would be the NFPA version. In Florida, neither or generally permitted though I have received reports from persons that have used or seen others use a handbook during the exam.

ICC permits any book you wish to bring for their exams.
 
Re: Which NECH to buy.

Bryan,
Joe McPartland was and still is the mentor of both Mike Holt and Tom Henry
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I don't think that Joe is still involved in the handbook or any other part of the electrical industry.
Don
 
Re: Which NECH to buy.

I have the yellow one. If memory serves...McGraw-Hill's book did not include the NEC article. I know the NFPA version does.

Has this changed??
 
Re: Which NECH to buy.

If you buy the yellow book, it includes the full text of the actual NEC. Does the blue book have that?

Steve
 
Re: Which NECH to buy.

The blue book does not have the full text of the NEC.

That is the beauty of the blue book. It lets you see & hear different insights.
You are gonna need an NEC anyway.
 
Re: Which NECH to buy.

You are gonna need an NEC anyway.
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Well, I have the NFPA handbook, and that is all I use. Don't need the actual NEC, its in the handbook.

So if you buy the bluebook, you will loose some of your savings when you buy the NEC.

Steve
 
Re: Which NECH to buy.

They are both good books.

Like Charlie, I am a little biased, as I am one of the contributing editors to the McGraw Hills book ;)

If you have budget concerns, either way you buy them, you will spend approximately the same.

The NFPA version has much better graphics.

The McGraw Hills version does not use the graphics as much, and depends on the explanatory style.

I have both, but I also spend an inordinate amount of time studying, and I want to know what everyone is thinking.

Brian is the author now, but still has his father for support, that is a huge bonus, as his father is one of, if not the best in the industry.
 
Re: Which NECH to buy.

Interesting interesting. I'm almost afraid to say which one I bought, might make some enemies :D I went for the blue one, and as you say, it does not have the complete NEC text. I was a little disappointed at first, I thought they both had the text, but not so (I ordered it quite a few posts back). I'll keep my eye out for an NEC down the road, but for now, this will do the job nicely I think. Thank you for the many comments.
 
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