Open the official 2011 National Electrical code Handbook for explanations, rationale, and Code support.

Whether you are an inspector, designer, or installer, the 2011 National Electrical Code Handbook is the most valuable companion document to the 2011 National Electrical Code. The 2011 National Electrical Code Handbook will ensure a better understanding of the Code requirements, which reduces the potential for fire and shock hazards. If you thought the bestselling electricians resource wasn't enough, then the 2011 National Electrical Code Handbook is just the book for you. It clarifies Code rationale and answers questions before they result in costly errors or violations. Containing even more than just the basic code, the handbook is loaded with one of a kind features!

Why the Handbook is the most powerful Code companion you can buy:

• It is the single most important reference in the electrical industry.
• Updated every three years, it outlines minimum industry standards for all types of electrical installations.
• Revised wiring requirements and receptacles.
• Includes the full 2011 National Electrical Code text. More in-depth than any other electrical reference.
• New installation rules to improve safety for electricians.
• New requirements added that focus on safety in the workplace, including labels to identify feeder supply sources at subpanels.

In the fast changing electrical field, the 2011 National Electrical Code Handbook from NFPA is the most valuable Code reference for electrical professionals. It's filled with critical insights that help you avoid violations and keep installations on time and on budget. Be prepared to implement important National Electrical Code changes that improve public safety as well as safety for electrical workers on the job.

All new commentary addresses industry advancements and major Code changes.

Expand your knowledge and explain the National Electrical Code's intent and practical application to colleagues, owners, and clients. The Commentary includes the reasoning behind rules and major changes in the Code. For example, all-new commentary provides an overview of recommendations for applying first-time Article 840's requirements for premises powered broadband communications systems. This reference is invaluable for those in or entering careers involving electricity or electronics of any kind.

The official 2011 Handbook is the only source for:

• Commentary from the experts covering the changes in requirements from 2008 to 2011, including new rules on workplace safety.
• Over 500 full-color photos and illustrations such as schematics, floor plans, and cross-sectional graphs.
• Vertical rules alert you to code additions and change dots signal deletions, just like in the standard National Electrical Code.
• First-time commentary for emerging issues such as green technology, alternate energy, high-voltage installations and more.

New visual cues offer information at a glance!

Commentary is in blue, while revised National Electrical Code text is shaded tan. Vertical Rules alert you to major Code additions, and bullets signal deletions - exactly like the National Electrical Code.

From the Introduction
This handbook contains the 52nd edition of the National Electrical Code. Nearly 114 years have passed since those cold days of March 18-19, 1896, when a group of 23 persons representing a wide variety of organizations met at the headquarters of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in New York City. Their purpose was to develop a national code of rules for electrical construction and operation. (It is interesting to note that this meeting took place a mere 17 years after the invention of the incandescent light bulb.) This attempt was not the first to establish consistent rules for electrical installations, but it was the first national effort. The number of electrical fires was increasing, and the need for standardization was becoming urgent. By 1881, one insurer had reported electrical fires in 23 of the 65 insured textile mills in New England.

The major problem was the lack of an authoritative, nationwide electrical installation standard. As one of the early participants noted, "We were without standards and inspectors, while manufacturers were without experience and knowledge of real installation needs. The workmen frequently created the standards as they worked, and rarely did two men think and work alike."

By 1895, five electrical installation codes had come into use in the United States, causing considerable controversy and confusion. The manufacture of products that met the requirements of all five codes was difficult, so something had to be done to develop a single, national code. The committee that met in 1896 recognized that the five existing codes should be used collectively as the basis for the new code. In the first known instance of international harmonization, the group also referred to the German code, the code of the British Board of Trade, and the Phoenix Rules of England. The importance of industry consensus was immediately recognized; before the committee met again in 1897, the new code was reviewed by 1200 individuals in the United States and Europe. Shortly thereafter, the first standardized U.S. electrical code, the National Electrical Code, was published.

The National Electrical Code has become the most widely adopted code in the United States. It is the installation code used in all 50 states and all U.S. territories. Moreover, it has grown well beyond the borders of the United States and is now used in numerous other countries. Because the Code is a living document, constantly changing to reflect changes in technology, its use continues to grow.

Some things have not changed. The National Electrical Code continues to offer an open-consensus process. Anyone can submit a proposal for change or a public comment, and all proposals and comments are subject to a rigorous public review process. The NEC still provides the best technical information, ensuring the practical safeguarding of persons and property from the hazards arising from the use of electricity.

About the Editors
Mark W Earley, PE is the Chief Electrical Engineer at NFPA. He has served as Secretary of the NEC since 1989 and is the co-author of NFPA’s reference book, Electrical Installations in Hazardous locations. He has also served as an editor for the NFPA 70E Electrical Safety in the Workplace Handbook.
Jeffery S Sargent is Senior Electrical Specialist at NFPA. He serves as staff liaison to several NFPA technical committees, including Electrical Safety in the Workplace (NFPA 70E), Electrical Equipment Maintenance (NFPA 70B), and Emergency Power Supplies (NFPA 110 and 111). He is the former executive secretary to the NFPA Electrical Section and is the co-author of the Electrical Inspection Manual with Checklists and NEC Q and A, as well as being a regular contributor to necplus, which is NFPA’s official on-line subscription service supporting the National Electrical Code and NPFA 70E.