Code
- See NEC
- Home Run
- The length of cable leading from the service panel to the first outlet on the circuit.
- NEC
- National Electric Code. A book containing all the rules regarding electrical work. It is currently available at amazon.com for about $65. Your local library should have a copy. The rules are updated every three years, so you need to know which version your city has adopted. The NEC is published by the National Fire Prevention Association, and it’s safe to assume that the purpose of the NEC is to prevent electrical fires due to unsafe installations. Some cities make amendments to the NEC guidelines. For example, my city, Austin, Texas, has adopted the 2005 NEC with some local changes.
- NM
- “Non-Metallic” wire. The romex wire used in residential wiring today. It is referred to as “non-metallic” because in ye olden days, house wire was surrounded with a metallic sheath or tube for protection, and as a ground path.
- PoCo
- Cool way to say “power company.”
- Romex
- The “wire” used in modern homes. Romex is actually a brand name.
- Sparky
- A real electrician.