What is the Best Electrical House Wiring Guide?

What is the best electrical house wiring guide? TheThere are many good practical wiring guides
answer to that question is that there is no one allavailable today; guides like Wiring 1-2-3, a Home
encompassing guide to wiring a house. With thatDepot Book and Home Wiring, a Handyman Club
said, there is one guide that anyone wiring a homeof America book. These books illustrate in detail
must have and that one indispensable guide is ahow to install receptacle circuits; sing-pole,
copy of the latest revision of the NEC (Nationaldouble-pole-double-throw, and thee-way switch
Electrical Code), NFPA's (National Fire Protectioncircuits; how to wire in major appliances; etc. All
Association's) Publication #70. This is thethese books suffer from the same weakness;
electrician's bible and all electrical work must bethey do not explain enough of the theory behind
performed in accordance with its rules andthe circuits operation. One needs to understand
regulations. It does not matter whether you are athe theory behind the circuits operation in order
professional electrician or a homeowner wiring ato apply the knowledge gained to circuits that are
new addition to your home, the work must benot illustrated in the book. A good understanding
performed under a permit and conform to theof basic electrical theory is needed to
rules and regulations put forward in the NEC if it istroubleshoot a project when not all goes
to pass the required inspections.according to plan, which is too often the case
What is the best electrical house wiring guide?when working with older wiring.
One of the best wiring guides available today isWhat is the best electrical house wiring guide that
the McGraw-Hill National Electrical Code 2008teaches the fundamentals of electrical theory?
Handbook, 26th Edition. This handbook, which hasOne of my favorites is the Audel Electrical Course
not been released yet but the publisher is takingfor Apprentices and Journeymen by Paul
pre-pub orders now, actually illustrated how toRosenberg. This 512-page text covers everything
apply the rules and regulations put forth in theyou will ever need to know about residential
NEC's 2008 Revision. The McGraw-Hill Nationalwiring and more. The Audel Technical Series, now
Electrical Code 2008 Handbook has been acceptedpublished by Barnes and Noble publishers has long
at the premiere reference book for the electricalbeen accepted as the one authoritative source of
professional for over 70 years. It is best totechnical information for all the building trades.
purchase the NEC book and handbook as a setAnother good text is the Residential Construction
because you can save a few bucks that way.Academy Electrical Principles by Stephen L.
These are expensive books but they are mustHerman, published by Delmar Publishers. Delmar
haves for anyone serious about doing electricaltextbooks have long been accepted as the
wiring.standard texts for vocational high schools as well
What is the best electrical house wiring guide?as technical and trade institutions.