Quote
That is the attitude problem that seems to get us to where we are now. Rather than learn the codes and standards and learn from the seasoned veteran electricians, the engineer assumes superiority and questions the standards and practices by which they work.
I think you misunderstand my point; I'm not saying I'd have submitted a job with 12 conductors where only 11 are legal. But the contractor had already installed it and somehow ended up in court and hired me as a consultant to analyze it, I wouldn't just take their money, smile and say "Sorry, rip it out!", I'd actually analyze it and give my "expert witness" testemony of whether I felt the installation sitting there on the jobsite was safe or not.

I meant this as a broader example of the thought process I take to the job. NEC is not there to **** me up and drive up the cost of jobs, it's a compilation of methods and guidance required for a safe installation. I don't go around looking for ways to cheat NEC, I keep a tabbed and annotated copy on my desk and normally comply 100%. But there are times when I have to go above and beyond what's in the book to get the job designed right.

The hardest decisions are when I get to the jobsite and find NEC violations and have to decide whether it's acceptable or not. As I stated before, I'm not just the engineer, I'm also the AHJ and the program manager responsible for funding the job. This example of 12 wires in an 11-wire conduit is typical of the type of violations I find and have to make a decision on whether the installation is safe and we can proceed with testing or whether to cost my program a ton of money and do it strictly IAW code. Sometimes I sign off on it, sometimes I make them fix it. Either way, I'm accepting full liability as the responsible engineer. That's why I'm paid the big bucks!

PE EE morning exam has a few NEC questions- enough to force the poor compsci and circuit EEs to buy a copy of NEC to drag to the test. PE EE Power Afternoon exam has more in depth NEC questions. (5% of the test, IIRC) It also has fault analysis, power factor and a boatload of other difficult power questions. I'll see if I can dig up a sample exam to share here, I think you guys might enjoy trying your luck at it [Linked Image]