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Why the NEC is so hard to read.

FilterGuy

Solar Engineering Consultant - EG4 and Consumers
Joined
Nov 26, 2019
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Location
Los Gatos CA
Engineers can't write clearly
Lawyers purposely write in incomprehensible ways
Academics like to write in ways that make them sound smart.

With the NEC, you get all 3!!!
 
@FilterGuy , I agree.
Engineers expect that you know what they were thinking when they write a statement.
Lawyers expect that you will use their definitions when you read their words
Academics are insulted if anyone is able to decipher what they wrote.

To help people reading the code book:
  • Don't assume the words they use mean what you think they mean. There are definitions in Article 100 that apply through out the code.
  • There are often more definitions at the start of the specific section of code you are reading that are only used in that section.
  • The first bit in each article is a paragraph called "Scope". Read that first because it tells you what situations the rules in that article apply to.
  • But in the section of code you are reading, look for exception statements and make sure you understand those, because they also may limit the scope.
  • One section of code may refer you to other sections of code, but pay attention to the qualifiers around that reference because it may not apply to your situation.
It's written like a legal document, so its very helpful to get a book that explains how to do work according to the code rather than just reading the code. Those books are much easier to understand because they are written by authors who write for normal humans.
 
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