How long did it take you to learn the NEC? 2

[Ztrain1985]

Ive been working a power engineering job for about 1 year now, but only started working with the NEC for the past 5 or 6 months.

I still dont feel comfortable with the code. There is just so much information in those 600 pages of text.

How long did it take you guys until you were comfortable with it? Should I have already mastered it by this point?

 

[jahrtrix]

Ztrain, A workbook would probably be your best bet.
"Interpreting The National electrical Code"
is one I use in each new update. There are
other workbooks out there, but I'm more
familiar with this one by Truman C. Surbrook
and Jonathan R. Althouse. The workbook takes
you by the hand and guides you through the new
updates and how to apply the many articles.
Good luck.

 

[dpc]

NFPA publishes a Handbook for each edition of the NEC. It is a good starting point, having many illustrations and explanations, along with the entire text of the NEC.

Very few people need to know all sections of the NEC by heart. I'd focus on the sections most directly related to the work you are doing.

 

[majesus]

Taking a course will teach you a lot, show you information you may have miss, as well as save you a lot of time and grief.

Ask your company to sponsor you. Tell them you are very interested in taking a course on the code. It will benefit you and them. That's what I'm doing right now... Mind you it's for the CEC, but the learning process is the samething.



Also don't take one of those "do it all in two day courses", too much information, too fast... you'll get a lot more out of it if you took a class at a technical school that teaches it to you say one day a week for 2.5 hours for the length of a term. Then for the reaminder of the week, they'll give you some homework to digest the material when you go over the assigned chapter. Works great for me.

 

[waross]

How long? I started with the Canadian Electrical Code back about '56 and got serious about it in about '60. Still learning.

Bill
--------------------
"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter

 

[majesus]

Waross, words of Wisdom...

That's what I always thought... I'll start say now... and still learn to the second I retire.

 

[jraef]

I agree. That "book" is a work in progress; more like a fluid document. I liken it to painting the Golden Gate bridge; if you start at one and, by the time you get to the other end the part you started on needs attention again.

 

[catserveng]

See if your state has an Electrician's certification exam or requirement. In California there are some pretty good classes teaching how to navigate the applicable code (NEC 2002 here)to get ready for the exam. The class is ALL code book, very little technical. Try looking at the state website for where you live and see what they have to offer.

The handbooks are also good as mentioned above, but for someone who hasn't worked much with the code I'd go with a real class, figure on investing 30-40 class hours plus study time to get it right, unless it comes easy to you.

Hope that helps

 

[alehman]

It depends entirely on what you mean by "learn". If all you need is one section, you can probably learn it fairly quickly. If you use a lot of sections, it will take longer. I've been in the business 15 years and there are still sections of the NEC I have never used and therefore never learned.

 

[jfpe]

I thought I knew everything about the Code after I passed the PE exam, but a few years and many humbling experiences later, I'm still learning new things.

I've been working my way through McGraw Hill's Electrician's Study Guide and find it very useful.

Regardless of what field you are in, you need to be familiar with most of chapters 1, 2, and 3 as these apply to every installation.

John

 

[DonPhillips]

I use the "turbo tabs" that ICC sells on their website. You can at least get to where you need to be pretty quickly.

Don Phillips

http://worthingtonengineering.com

 

[ahmad1985]

I want to know what is NEC

 

[waross]

ahmad1985;
National Electrical Code. USA
Canadian Electrial Code. Canada

Bill
--------------------
"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter

 

[controlsdude]

still learning, but what I find the most helpful is if you have a PDF version that is searchable, saved me loads of time looking for what I need at that moment. Classes are ok but applying it on a job is a better teacher.

Also, what is also helpful at first is listening to a good industrial electrician when you do your walkthru during an electrical installation.

Then of course the local electrical inspector is a good resource too.

 

[EEJaime]

As some of those before me have stated, the document is ever changing and being updated. I've been using it since about 1979, and I am constantly surprized that "Facts" that I absolutely KNEW were in the code, are no longer there, or completley changed.

To further complicate things here in California, we have a State of California Electrial Code, (CEC-Title 24 Part 3), which consists of the NEC with State Amendments, so we have two versions of the code. Our current version is the 2007 CEC which consists of the 2005 NEC with 2006 State Amendments. Very confusing to those not used to the system. I would venture to say none of us will "master" the book. We can learn to navigate it efficiently. Know where to find specific areas of information. For example I use Article 517 extensively as we do a lot of health care work. But I never expect to master the entire document.

Take a course, use the Handbook and learn the specific areas you use extensively and you will be a step ahead. Talk to Inspectors, plan checkers, experienced electricians, and you will further your understanding.

Good luck, oh, and by the way..., this forum is a great resource. Some of these gentlemen have forgotten more about codes than I have ever learned.

 

[Zogzog]

The NEC gurus are at

http://forums.mikeholt.com/forumdisplay.php?f=65

No offense to anyone here, when there are engineering type questions there I send them here. But those guys live and breathe the NEC

 

[resqcapt19]

I have been studying it since 73 and teaching code changes since 84 and I won't say that I know the code.
Don

 

[Senselessticker]

Most of my work is subject to the rules and recomendations of the NEC... Do I "know" the code after 4 years... nope, but I generally know which section to look in for answers...

Rule of thumb... if you think you have a unique solution to solve a field problem... there's most likely going to be an NEC article which forbids it...

Good luck!!! Watch out for the folks that hold to tightly to the NEC rules if your getting into heavy commercial and/or industrial type work... if common sense seems to make more sense then don't waste your time beating your head against the wall. Just go straight to the AHJ and seek exception...