I talked the boss into buying Mike Holt's 2005 NEC videos so that me and the other guys could get together and watch them.
Since it was my idea, I am kinda in charge of organizing and scheduling the meetings.
The Mike Holt videos are very good. We are very satisfied with them but, to most people, the NEC is not very exciting.
I am trying to come up with some ideas as to how to make these gatherings more interesting. I have brought in new products, items to demo, etc but still not exciting to some of the guys. Is there any instructors that might have some suggestions? Or, has anyone attended any seminars or classes that could give me some ideas?
Brian
You could turn it into a drinking game. Anytime he says the word "code", you have to take a drink.
Or you could make it a competition. Play part of the video and ask questions of the group to see who know the answer before Mike.
"I am trying to come up with some ideas as to how to make these gatherings more interesting."
Show some of the violation photos, then let them tell you what is wrong, and then have them go to the code section, if they are still not intrested, pass out job applications for Wall Mart, no code needed to stock shelves.
Not much code needed to wire a Wal-Mart either from the looks of our local one
I second the 'no code needed to stock shelves' theory. I believe there's two kinds of electricians. Those who care about the NEC, and those that don't. Maybe printing out some code illustrations and hanging them up at the shop in a common area where employees can see them might help. Good luck.
None of the other trades seem to worry about building codes, why should we?*
The framing inspectors, for instance, don't exactly go around and check to make sure 16D common nails were used to frame a house as code requires, or if as many are installed as required by code. Thus, the framers blisfully use 16D sinkers or coolers or whatever fits in their nailgun, oblivious that despide being a 16D nail, their substitute has different structural properties and their house is now full of structural defects and liable to collapse if it gets anywhere close to design load. And how many of us have seen plumbers go through and notch the hell out of structural studs and plates? Or done it yourselves?
* That was rhetorical, btw. And sarcastic
I may be a sick person for reading IRC through cover-to-cover and actually enjoying it, lol
Not much code needed to wire a Wal-Mart either from the looks of our local one
Do tell.....Any pics?
I'd say the same about the one they just built here....only problem is that they did a pretty decent job.
Peter
I'll try to get some if my wife ever brings our digital camera back from her office... Lotsa cool stuff, pvc40 running in back of shelves with quad outlets running the holiday stuff when its up. Cord reels on the ceiling pulled down and running the TV aisle (temporary... suuuuuuuree!
)
I like the code violation picture idea. I might try asking for them to bring in code violation pictures.
Keep the ideas coming.
Thanks
Brian
Why don't you have the meetings at Hooter's?
I too will get on the band wagon of pictures - some of them can be either really funny or just plain laughable.
Like this one:
Or this 240 outlet?
And ask the questions that arise from them?
[This message has been edited by e57 (edited 02-22-2007).]
Scim over the parts that you and your crew don't get involved with and open it to discussion when you get to something they are interested in.
Ask open ended questions such as, what do you think of this requirement, or why do you think they had to put that in the Code.
One example I like is the definition of Fountain in 680. "...does not include drinking fountains." Why do you think that is in the Code ?
Pizza and beer helps.
Alan--
The top picture does seem to be an innovative way to deal with expansion in the PVC riser. If I wasn't worried about abrasion protection I might be OK with it.
BTW I have seen the 240v receptacle you show. One of our CEs had a 5-15 cap with both circuit prongs blown clean off with a shirt sleeve to match. We didn't want to see his shorts.
Someone had labelled it "floor buffer only" and that seemed to be all they thought you had to do. The ferro-resonant power supply in the keypunch tried to make it 120 but no joy.
which book did you get?
i am interested in getting the whole library.
any thoughts on that?
Thanks
Edward