# Differences between Canadian code and American code?



## Brother-Mario (Jun 28, 2010)

:whistling2: Hi everyone,
I'm a very motivated and ambitious self-taught student studying hard to get into the IBEW. I have tons of questions and because I'm currently residing in a small town in Canada there aren't many locals around to have a coffee with. I've been researching all the important details and brushing up on my math, and I just recently acquired some Mike Holt educational videos that reference the NEC and my question is basically "Is there a different guideline for Canadian code than there is for the NEC?"

The reason I ask this is because I went to a College close by looking to obtain a copy of the NEC but they only had a book I vaguely remember as "Canadian Electric Code". I'm not sure if its just so they can profit from the "CEC" book or what the deal is but I have been watching the tapes and reviewing a digital copy of the NEC and I'm just a little concerned that there may be some slight differences that might show up on an entrance exam, or any future exam that could hurt me.

I really appreciate any help that can be provided,

Your Friend,
-Mario :001_huh:


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## BCSparkyGirl (Aug 20, 2009)

NEC is USA, CEC is Canada. If you are trying to get your ticket in Canada...you had best stick with the CEC. There is a CSA Standards cdrom you can get to practice for the IP. Best to study the right book, as there are differences between codes in Canada and in the US, while many are the same, you would not want to confuse yourself. It has nothing to do with "trying to profit off of CEC" 
*
ALL exams in Canada are based on the CEC, not the NEC.*

You purchased the wrong study material IMO.


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## Mike in Canada (Jun 27, 2010)

BCSparkyGirl is correct. My suggestion would be to go to a local electrical supply place and buy the code for your province. Usually a specialized electrical supply place will have a copy of the local code, but sometimes they'll have to order it. The Ontario code, as an example, is about $165. If you contact the CSA directly you can get the actual Canadian Electrical Code, but it won't have the restrictions for your province, so it won't be as useful to you later on.
The ESAT CD - Electrician's Self-Assessment Tool - is a very useful thing, and it can be bought from the CSA.

As to the actual differences between the US and Canada, there are not that many major differences, but there are many many minor differences. One of the biggest is with conduit. In Canada conduit is standardized by its inner diameter no matter what the material it's made out of, so that a piece of 16mm (1/2") EMT has the same capacity for holding wires as a piece of the same trade size PVC. In the states they are all different. So the table in Canada says you can fit such and such number of wires in such and such a trade size of conduit, but in the 'States there are different tables for each type of conduit. Box fill is different, the way you calculate voltage drop is different, and there are many many other minor differences.

Mike


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## drsparky (Nov 13, 2008)

Does the CEC cover igloos?:jester:


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## BCSparkyGirl (Aug 20, 2009)

drsparky said:


> Does the CEC cover igloos?:jester:


smartass........HAR de har har...


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## william1978 (Sep 21, 2008)

drsparky said:


> Does the CEC cover igloos?:jester:


 :laughing::laughing:


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## oldtimer (Jun 10, 2010)

Wait a minute, while I tie my dog sled up, then I can answer you!! After all this is the GREAT WHITE NORTH. :jester: :laughing::laughing::laughing:


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## oldtimer (Jun 10, 2010)

B T W, up here in the Great White North the temp is 84.  the snow is melting!! :laughing::laughing:


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## Vintage Sounds (Oct 23, 2009)

oldtimer said:


> Wait a minute, while I tie my dog sled up, then I can answer you!! After all this is the GREAT WHITE NORTH. :jester: :laughing::laughing::laughing:


How much dogpower is your sled running, and how much EMT can it carry at one time? :laughing:

Get the Canadian Electrical Code or whatever one is appropriate for your province. Here in Ontario it is the Ontario Electrical Safety Code 2009 edition. You won't exactly have to pass any code exams to get into an apprenticeship or the IBEW but unless you plan to work in the US there's no point in becoming an NEC jedi.


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## Shorty Circuit (Jun 26, 2010)

The difference between the Canadian code and the American code is that the Canadian code is written in French while the American code is written in...................Greek.....or Chinese.....or Sanskrit. But whatever it is, it's not English. A continuous industrial process is one that cannot be turned off without creating a hazard or increasing an existing one? Give me a break, Ay? :w00t::bangin::chinese::ninja:


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## Brother-Mario (Jun 28, 2010)

Lol you guys are too funny! thanks for all the help everyone. Mike I've been going through those tables for conduit, there are SO many variables it is unbelievable! I'm Definitely grabbing a CES the first chance I get. I think as I know it wont help me out on the entrance test, but it will surely be useful once I decide to install some gear in my igloo :santa:


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## n.taluckder (Apr 1, 2011)

im just curious in usa we use klein, greenlee, ideal etc what do canadians use?


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## running dummy (Mar 19, 2009)

n.taluckder said:


> im just curious in usa we use klein, greenlee, ideal etc what do canadians use?


Twigs and rocks?


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## Amish Electrician (Jan 2, 2010)

The reason Canadians don't use Klein, Greenlee, or Ideal is .... because none of those firms makes skates, sticks, or pucks.


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## Trigger_442A (Sep 15, 2012)

Haha well last time I checked Americans were still way behind us!!! It's called Robertson mutha ****as!!! Beat down that Phillips didn"t it we created the best screw of all time which I use my idea screw driver on!! Talk to Henry Ford!


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

william1978 said:


> :laughing::laughing:


I think it's in the building code under non-combustible construction


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## Mshea (Jan 17, 2011)

While many of the US and Canadian code are equivalent in intent they are certainly organized differently and numbered very differntly.
There are working groups on harmonization too. If you had to write a code test in Canada you could not quote the correct rule numbers either.
In the CEC grounding is in section 10 for low voltage and section 36 for high voltage. I think the NEC puts grounding in rules areound 250.##. If I were to ask what size ground wire for an 800 amps single phase 120/240 volt service you would not get the same answer in the USA as in Canada where it is #6.
There are several other differences just in grounding too. For example in Canada if you use a copper water main as your grounding electrode you are good to go but in the NEC you need to add another electrode.
So the intent is the same but the methods differ as do a few fundemental rules.

BTW what is the NEC ground wire size for a low voltage service of 30 amps, 800 amps, or 30000 amps? #6 is the Canadian Answer for all of the above if the service is under 750 volts and the system is grounded.


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## kawimudslinger (Jan 29, 2010)

drsparky said:


> Does the CEC cover igloos?:jester:


there are over two million people in Canada who live further south then you do in Maine. You're no better then the rest of us in your crappy Pine Tree State Igloo! :laughing:


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## kawimudslinger (Jan 29, 2010)

n.taluckder said:


> im just curious in usa we use klein, greenlee, ideal etc what do canadians use?


Our hands


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## Amish Electrician (Jan 2, 2010)

Now, folks, let's be nice to our Canadian cousins. Have some sympathy; it must be hard, living with the regrets of having not only missed our revolution, but having also beat off our two attempts to invade. Heck, they even conquered Detroit at one point (Hey- want it back?)

Getting back on point ... Canadians are a proud folk. Much like the French, they delight in making their stuff different from ours, just to prove they're not American. They mount their panels sideways, use a different sort of "romex,' and even trust their sparkies with 600 volts.

Thus, I'd suggest the Canadian student focus on Canadian code alone. Otherwise, it gets pretty confusing. Master one before you dive into the other.


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## wendon (Sep 27, 2010)

110.15 *High Leg Marking.* Okay like on a 4-wire, delta-connected system where you know like the midpoint of one phase winding is earthed eh? Only the conductor or busbar having like the higher phase voltage to earth shall be durably and permanently marked with like an outer finish that is like orange in color (same color as the Calgary Flames hoodie that you're wearing) or by other effective means eh? Such identification shall be placed like at each point on the system where a connection is made if the earthed conductor is also present eh. 

Isn't that code book kinda heavy to carry around?:laughing::laughing::laughing:


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## wendon (Sep 27, 2010)

Trigger_442A said:


> Haha well last time I checked Americans were still way behind us!!! It's called Robertson mutha ****as!!! Beat down that Phillips didn"t it we created the best screw of all time which I use my idea screw driver on!! Talk to Henry Ford!


There not actually screw drivers are they. The Wera's are "screw sticks". What do the Canadians have against the term "square" driver?


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## Mshea (Jan 17, 2011)

wendon said:


> There not actually screw drivers are they. The Wera's are "screw sticks". What do the Canadians have against the term "square" driver?


Because a square drive is in my socket set. I have 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" square drive ratchets.

The square screw heads are Robertson. He likes his name on the screws just like mr Philips does or even mr Torx. Didn't he play bass for the Monkees?

For the too young to know who the Monkees are it is Peter Tork and Yes I know this screw was named after the high torque fasteners. They were invented to stay square on an automatic tool. too many fasteners wobble on the end of automated and robotic tools.


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## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

kawimudslinger said:


> there are over two million people in Canada who live further south then you do in Maine. You're no better then the rest of us in your crappy Pine Tree State Igloo! :laughing:


Are igloos considered a wet location? :laughing:


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## Mshea (Jan 17, 2011)

Going_Commando said:


> Are igloos considered a wet location? :laughing:


No Igloos are dry locations until the spring then they are slushy.


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## kawimudslinger (Jan 29, 2010)

Going_Commando said:


> Are igloos considered a wet location? :laughing:


haha, actually did u know the arctic is considered a desert climate


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## greenman (Apr 20, 2012)

nec is a big joke. w.t.f


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## Trigger_442A (Sep 15, 2012)

Amish, 

The trade is the trade regardless of where you reside, lets be honest whether you work in USA Europe or Canada the basics are the same workmanship, pride in your work and respect for other sparkies. I am dual citizen and chose to reside in Canada due to the fact that our medical system takes care of the poor the same as the rich!! So let's play nice with each other and not divide ourselves. :thumbsup::whistling2:


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

Trigger_442A said:


> . I am dual citizen and chose to reside in Canada due to the fact that our medical system takes care of the poor the same as the rich!! So let's play nice with each other and not divide ourselves. :thumbsup::whistling2:


Spuing bull chit cheap shots with that uninformed nonsense is dividing us.

It's called class warfair just because you think that is the majority opinion does not make it fact.

Whenever a Canadian needs ergent care that must be done now they come to the USA while Canadian Death panels deside who shall live and I'll bet the poor get shown the pine box.


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## wcord (Jan 23, 2011)

Whenever a Canadian needs ergent care that must be done now they come to the USA while Canadian Death panels deside who shall live and I'll bet the poor get shown the pine box.[/quote]


But at least it won't cost me my house and the houses for the next 10 generations to get a broken leg fixed or have a bed in ICU for a stroke or heart attack


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## greenman (Apr 20, 2012)

Were talking NEC vs. CEC.
Compare the two.



HARRY304E said:


> Spuing bull chit cheap shots with that uninformed nonsense is dividing us.
> 
> It's called class warfair just because you think that is the majority opinion does not make it fact.
> 
> Whenever a Canadian needs ergent care that must be done now they come to the USA while Canadian Death panels deside who shall live and I'll bet the poor get shown the pine box.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

greenman said:


> Were talking NEC vs. CEC.
> Compare the two.


Yes I know I just didn't want *Trigger_442A *to get away with his off topic rhetoric.


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## Trigger_442A (Sep 15, 2012)

HARRY304E said:


> Yes I know I just didn't want *Trigger_442A *to get away with his off topic rhetoric.


Fair enough! Sorry I will behave myself!!


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## stuiec (Sep 25, 2010)

Its a living....


View attachment 17864


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## Unclesham (Aug 15, 2014)

Trigger_442A said:


> Amish,
> 
> The trade is the trade regardless of where you reside, lets be honest whether you work in USA Europe or Canada the basics are the same workmanship, pride in your work and respect for other sparkies. I am dual citizen and chose to reside in Canada due to the fact that our medical system takes care of the poor the same as the rich!! So let's play nice with each other and not divide ourselves. :thumbsup::whistling2:


Yeah, it's a brotherhood! They are Canadians not plumbers for cryin out loud!


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

Iirc, our NEC wireway 30 conductor is 200 in the CEC

~CS~


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## oliquir (Jan 13, 2011)

the biggest difference is sideways panels in canada


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## Hmacanada (Jan 16, 2014)

oliquir said:


> the biggest difference is sideways panels in canada



I don't think that's the biggest difference, but it is the one that gets the most comments!!! 


Sent from my iPhone using electriciantalk.com


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## eddy current (Feb 28, 2009)

Canada

"You are the kindest country in the world. You are like a really nice apartment over a meth lab."

Robin Williams

:thumbup::laughing:


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