# NECA Workmanship standard, installment 1



## nolabama

i also bought this standard - found it helpful but pricey for a pdf


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## idoelectric

Since when did an experienced electrician need to have a book to tell him how to do a job right? Just wondering.


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## randomkiller

idoelectric said:


> Since when did an experienced electrician need to have a book to tell him how to do a job right? Just wondering.


Well if you have seen what some guys try to pass off as good work you would wish they owned a book, let alone read one. Especially if you were following up behind them.


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## idoelectric

Random,
Putting it like that, I have to totally agree with you on that and I take back what I said.


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## dawgs

I bought the 2006 NECA yeearbook. 300+ pages of install standards. Good bathroom reading.


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## brian john

IDO:

My job is primarily inspecting, repairing, correcting electrical wiring errors and EVERY ELECTRICIAN needs a this book in my experience, oh and they need to read it. Few electricians read any installation instructions.

Unlike electrical inspectors I am paid to find any issues that may or can result in problems, and or NEC violations. In 23 plus years doing this I have yet to do a job where I can't write up something, now many times the issue is minimal, and I do explain this to customers. But many times I get so frustrated at the lack of caring, understanding, quality I see in electrical jobs. 

It takes no more time to do a quality job that to just lay it and leave it.


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## Nosparxsse

brian john said:


> It takes no more time to do a quality job that to just lay it and leave it.



AMEN!!!:thumbup: 

Man I agree with that one.......Problem in our area is that any jackleg can run low voltage wire..(not required to be lisenced in our area for low voltage...) They can take my very proffesional looking wiring job, and run their tv cat 5 wires and looks like a clusterf---. Even though it falls under NEC. These guys get a pass.....kinda stinks...


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## Nosparxsse

Nosparxsse said:


> These guys get a pass.....:


Well, maybee I spoke too soon on that one. Inspector just shut the job down.....They are operating without a lisence....


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## jrclen

Poor workmanship is like ***********, you'll know it when you see it. Like every other electrician who takes pride in their work, sloppy work drives me up the wall. Panels are my pet peeve. Wires bent in tight 90's. And branch conductors looped in the box to leave a foot or more slack "for future use". Makes a bowl of spaghetti looking mess in the panel.


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## rbj

idoelectric said:


> Since when did an experienced electrician need to have a book to tell him how to do a job right? Just wondering.


Sounds like you would like to edit one of my electrical books. After being in both the electronics and electrical industries starting in the mid 1950's, I still do not consider myself as experienced. Just write a book on wiring houses that has stuff experienced electricians have never seen before to help instructors find better ways to wire both efficiently, economically and to code. (trying not to overlook the code cycle from hell...2008)

It will surprise most electricians how much they learn every day, and in my case, how much I forget. I still wire residential and help do light commercial at 71 and find better methods all the time that help young wiremen starting out. New products are a revolving learning curve that change ways of wiring. I read books and improve my experience all the time. (A good book I bet you might enjoy is Karl Riley's _Tracing EMF's) _

Books such as Karl's have given me better insight on ways of wiring such as why using two wire travellers, even though code compliant, can raise interference havoc with computers and other electronic equipment in the modern home.

For me, wiring is a passion, not an experience. rbj


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## LGLS

brian john said:


> IDO:
> 
> My job is primarily inspecting, repairing, correcting electrical wiring errors and EVERY ELECTRICIAN needs a this book in my experience, oh and they need to read it. Few electricians read any installation instructions.
> 
> Unlike electrical inspectors I am paid to find any issues that may or can result in problems, and or NEC violations. In 23 plus years doing this I have yet to do a job where I can't write up something, now many times the issue is minimal, and I do explain this to customers. But many times I get so frustrated at the lack of caring, understanding, quality I see in electrical jobs.
> 
> It takes no more time to do a quality job that to just lay it and leave it.


Actually, it takes no more time, and often takes LESS TIME to do a quality job than attempting to hack together some slop. But recognize that in order to do a proper job, proper planning and experience play key roles. Oftentimes, ECs hire inexperienced or less than qualified individuals, and then press them to complete installations as quickly and with as little material and labor as possible. 

The end result looks better on paper than in real life.

In my experience, I have met very few electrical workers who don't want to do the best job they can muster. Many do not have a choice but to yield to time constraints and a lack of adequate back office support.


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## HighWirey

LawnGuyLandSparky said:


> Actually, it takes no more time, and often takes LESS TIME to do a quality job than attempting to hack together some slop. But recognize that in order to do a proper job, proper planning and experience play key roles. Oftentimes, ECs hire inexperienced or less than qualified individuals, and then press them to complete installations as quickly and with as little material and labor as possible.
> 
> The end result looks better on paper than in real life.
> 
> In my experience, I have met very few electrical workers who don't want to do the best job they can muster. Many do not have a choice but to yield to time constraints and a lack of adequate back office support.


LawnGuyLandSparky, 

Well put, the term 'quality job' does not mean that we should install any more material than the customer bought or code requires, but to provide him the best workmanship that we know how to perform.

I will bet that ANSI/NECA 1-2006 "Standard Practices for Good Workmanship in Electrical Contracting" is a real good read.

Best Wishes Everyone


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## sparky970

If you do quality work, quantity will naturally present itself.


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## energize

MDShunk said:


> The NEC has pretty much always had a very vague workmansip standard. The NEC states:
> 
> _*110.12 Mechanical Execution of Work.*Electrical equipment shall be installed in a neat and workmanlike manner._
> 
> This has been in the code for a long time, but it relied on the inspector to use his or her experience and judement in determining what was 'neat and workmanlike'. In the 2005 NEC, a fine print note (FPN) was added to give reference to a NECA/ANSI standard that defines such workmanship. The FPN reads:
> 
> _FPN: Accepted industry practices are described in ANSI/NECA 1-2000, "Standard Practices for Good Workmanship in Electrical Contracting", and other ANSI-approved installation standards._
> 
> I bought a copy of ANSI/NECA 1-2006 (the 2006 version, the NEC code references the 2000 version). NECA 1 is part of a whole series of workmanship and installation standards called the "National Electrical Installation Standards" (NEIS). NECA 1 is the first in that series, entitled "Good Workmanship In Electrical Contracting". It's a nice, 30 page read, full of interesting standards. I intend to obtain the rest of the NEIS series over the coming year.
> 
> This post is intended to famaliarize the reader with the relationship of the NECA NEIS documents with the NEC. In coming posts, I will comment on some of the more interesting highlights of NECA 1 and other NEIS standards.


Where did you purchase the book? Noticed other posts mentioning a PDF file, so I am confused - which is not out of the ordinary, mind you.........

Thanks -


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