5 comments about Electrical Engineering Reference Manual, for the Electrical and Computer PE Exam, 7th ed..

1. I found that the reference manual was missing many important parts (that were on the test), and most of the materials that are on the Power section of the exam are missing, or lack the depth of information to be of any use for studying.



2. This is a great reference book, both for electrical engineering in general and the PE exam in particular. I used this book as my primary source while studying and working problems for the exam. It also had all the info I needed during the exam. As a fairly young engineer without loads of experience behind me, I leaned heavily on this book before and during the exam and was very satisfied with it. The sections are concise and to the point, and the formulas are easy to pick out quickly from the text. I've had it about 6 months now and have already used it a few times on the job as well.
   
   If there are any drawbacks, one might be that it has so many sections that it can take a little while to look things up sometimes. While this makes for a good comprehensive reference, one has to be well-versed in it to be able to dig for info quickly during the exam. Also, some of the sections don't go into as much detail as some exam questions. In my experience, these areas gave good overviews but didn't give the formulas, coefficient explanations, etc. necessary to attack some exam problems. These don't detract significantly from my overall opinion of the book though.
   
   During the exam, the only books I used were this one, my NEC Handbook, the practice problems manual that accompanies this book, and the NCEES practice exams manual. I had a few other textbooks and some study course manuals with me during the exam, but never reached for any of them. This and the Code were all the reference materials I used. And I passed! (The practice problems book and NCEES exam book are also highly recommended; some problems mirrored those on the exam and each enabled me to get a precious few more solutions that I wouldn't have gotten otherwise.)
   
   In conclusion, this is a great reference book for electrical engineering as a whole, and I wouldn't recommend stepping into the PE exam room without a copy on hand.



3. This book sits on my shelf next to the Physics Handbook and other reference titles. I don't use very often, but then I don't use the others very often either. That's why they are called reference books. This volume is excellent for its overt purpose, which is to help you pass the PE exam. It covers a huge swath of the wide field of electrical engineering, in sufficient detail to provide a working grasp of the terminology and principles, though not so much as to guide detailed design work; there are other books for that. Sections range from reviews of basic material to discussion of reasonably sophisticated topics such as information theory. It can be likened to an electronics oriented version of the World Book encyclopedia, written for the technically literate. As such, it is designed to be concise and accessible, easy to flip open and zero in on any topic. In other words, it is great for an open book exam, and it is handy anytime you might want a fast introduction to or refresher on any given topic. Beyond the comprehensive collection of theory, on a down to earth practical note there are wire tables and a chapter on the national electrical code. There is also a section on professional matters, such as economic analysis, law, and ethics, which might make it the only book on your shelf where you can find this. Because it is very good at what it does, this was one of just four books I took into the exam room, in contrast to one idiot who brought in four *crates* of stuff to waste time looking through. Because it is very good at what it does, it is a permanent addition to my electrical engineering reference library. Would I have purchased it even if I never needed it for exam study material? I think the answer is yes. It is that broad and useful.



4. I bought this book as it was referred by many others as a good reference for PE exam and as the others say, it's good for morning (bridth) section only.



5. Excellent technical content is significantly detracted by poor font selection and layout, which makes reading difficult. The typeface is extremely poor, printing is too light, and in general the content is overly hard to read.

No comments about Structural Drafting.

No comments about Technical Drawing (Drafting and Design).

2 comments about Drilling Technology in Nontechnical Language.

1. The book explained the field well, but it referred, more than once, to a non-existant 'further reading' section. It also referred to a list of acronyms, supposedly containted within, which wasn't in the book either. It could really use an editor.

   Diagrams were great, so were the pictures. It certainly did its job...but maybe not worth $60 plus.




2. The book explained the field well, but it referred, more than once, to a non-existant 'further reading' section. It also referred to a list of acronyms, supposedly containted within, which wasn't in the book either. It could really use an editor.

   Diagrams were great, so were the pictures. It certainly did its job...but maybe not worth $60 plus.

5 comments about Welder's Handbook : A Complete Guide to Mig, Tig, Arc & Oxyacetylene Welding (Hp1264).

1. This book is great resource for learning about different techniques for welding and cutting. It focuses on the equipment, safety, and skills and is written in a first person voice that makes the subject very approachable.
   
   Rather than treating the subject as clinically as other welding books do, the author speaks from his own experience, and has plenty of notes about the details that characterize improving skill. The author provides anecdotes about disasters, but also reassures the reader that success is possible as long as they pay attention to what they're doing.
   
   I came across this book in a bookstore along with a few other welding books. This one was by far the best as an introduction. It also provided enough knowledge quickly to be able to make informed decisions about what techniques and equipment would be appropriate for the task that got you interested in welding. Overall, this book is like having a shop teacher with you. The other welding books were like surface level surveys of the subject - sparse and full of disclaimers voiding themselves of responsibility if you blow up your garage.



2. An easy to understand book on welding. Well laid out, and written in plain English
   
   Ideal for the beginner, or as a refresher for the experienced welder.
   Cheap enough to buy one for a friend too



3. The author spends to much time telling you how he's so good he welds nuclear reactors & aircraft.
   But, his information on TIG welding is plain wrong.
   Dont buy this book, go to the Miller Welding web site to find Accurate FREE info.



4. For beginners or if you just need a review, the info in this book is invaluable.



5. I think the book spends a lot of time telling what the author has accomplished as a welder, and little time talking about how to weld. Spare me the self-promotion and fill those pages with real information

5 comments about Illustrated Guide to the NEC: Based on the 2005 National Electrical Code.

1. They need to find an editor that has a eye for details. I found numerous mistakes, and references to sections of the code book that the code book editors changed. The book will help you learn the NEC code, but just reading the code book will do the same. The text book won't help too much on the state exam since you can't bring it in. The calculations sections relies heavily on a work sheet that you cannot bring into the test site. Its nice to have, but no use with the exam. The diagrams and illustrations have letter marking that have corresponding informational paragraphs, but i found them to be list in a convenient circular pattern instead of listed in an easy to follow line-of-thinking method. You have to have it for your class, so just pay them the money and work some overtime to pay for it. It is my opinion that it is overpriced.



2. My review is from a handyman perspective, rather than an electrician's.
   
   The 442 page Illustrated Guide to the National Electrical Code® is organized into 5 sections: fundamental provisions, single-family homes and townhouses, multi-family dwellings, commercial buildings, and special occupancies, areas, and equipment (health care facilities, elevators, churches, etc.) Homeowner's can stop on page 188, the end of the single-family dwelling section.
   
   The primary feature of this Guide is the picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words approach. See Customer Photos for an actual example from the book. The book describes each NEC "rule" in English, and further explains it through a captioned drawing. This writing style makes it easier to understand the material.
   
   Here are the types of questions answered by this book:
   
   1. How close to an outlet box does the first cable staple (or equivalent) have to be?
   2. How tightly can you bend 12/2 NM cable around corners?
   3. Is it OK to use 20-amp rated receptacles on 15-amp circuits, and vice-versa?
   4. Attaching a ground wire to a steel box, and what kind of screws cannot be used.
   5. How are you supposed to staple cables to studs when the cables were fished through a finished wall to a new outlet box?
   6. What amp circuit must be used for bathroom receptacles, and what else can be on that circuit?
   7. Does a laundry area require a dedicated circuit of a specific amperage?
   
   The Guide answers these and hundreds of other questions. If you plan on getting an electrical permit, this book will help you pass inspection.
   
   Even without an inspection, it would be comforting to know that tried-and-true installation techniques were used in the house we're remodeling. If you are planning on any but the simplest of wiring jobs, this Guide would be a good start.



3. I found the book a good reference for electrical wiring and NEC 2005.
   Basically the book is targeted to electricians and installers. I failed to find any information on calculations of available short-circuit current (ASC) for service equipment. Industrial installations versus the code was not well addressed in book. In doing calculations of commercial and dwelling units one deals a lot with NEC Table 220.55 and the associated FNPs (foot notes). These FNPS are horrible cumbersome to explain the solution when dealing with multiple Ranges with different values of range's KWs. The author did vey litle in explaining and expanding this area of the code.
   Joseph



4. This book is a great companion to the NEC 2005 codebook. It's a HUGE help.



5. Miller's book starts where the revised edition of Rex Cauldwell's excellent Wiring a House (For Pros by Pros) ends. Unless you are an electrician or similarly experienced, you might want to start with Cauldwell's book.
   
   Upside: Illustrated 2005 NEC is readable. I started at the beginning and progressed through the book, reading and studying illustrations in detail where needed, just scanning material I knew well. To me, this is important: Miller gave an example and an illustration immediately after every topic I found difficult to understand from a first reading. He didn't miss one. Lots of painless learning in a small amount of time. Virtually every topic is cross-referenced to the 2005 NEC. References are set off at the end of paragraphs so they don't interfere with the flow of descriptions. Color (two shades of blue) is effectively used. For example, each statement in a descriptive series is lettered with a blue bullet and there are corresponding blue bullet letters with blue lines pointing to the relevant part of an accompanying illustration or illustrations (it's more effective than my description of it).
   
   In addition to being readable, Illustrated 2005 NEC can, with some effort, be used for reference. I wish it had a better index, but a few tries and some scanning took me to an answer for many of my queries. I found several (illustrated) answers I have been seeking: Do two one-pole circuit breakers in a single breaker position have to have a handle tie to count as one hand operation against the not-more-than-six-hand-operations disconnect rule? Can you feed the busses of a subpanel through a two-pole circuit breaker (back-fed device) rather than the lugs if you don't have a master breaker? Answers to all my questions were cross-referenced to the correct NEC article, table, or subtopic.
   
   Downside: I was disappointed when I first thumbed Illustrated 2005 NEC. I did not expect "Illustrated" to mean so many clothes closets complete with hangers, cute cabinets, room dividers, sinks, stoves, toasters, and so on. They illustrate the book but they do not illustrate the NEC. I was surprised at the number of pages devoted to calculations worksheets; that probably isn't a downside to professional electricians. Topics I had expected were missing or skimpy (viz., I wanted a much better treatment of subpanels). Finally, there is the cost, over $50 when I bought it in mid-2007.
   
   I bought Miller's book with my very first copy of the NEC. For all my whining, I am glad I spent the money. I would have given Illustrated 2005 NEC four-&-one-half stars if I could have.

3 comments about Technician's Guide To Programmable Controllers.

1. I used this book to train industrial electricians and recommended it in the PLC course I designed at Coyne American Institute in Chicago in 1989. They still use the book along with a lab manual and Allen Bradley PLC's in the electrical maintenance course. I reviewed other books and felt this one was the right choice for the length of course, training level and content. It is clearly written with hardware and instruction set examples from various PLC manufacturers, troubleshooting, number systems, start-up hints and some useful general computer information. Also included is a chapter on understanding MS-DOS commands-very handy for people (a lot of them around) with no computer background except a point-and-click once in a while. The soft cover format, number of pages (372) and size make it easy to carry and throw in a brief case. If you are learning PLC's for the first time, this is a good place to start. If I was going to add anything to it for the next edition, I would include things like data highway, serial communications, remote displays and PID loop. Maybe a little more about programming details involving analog I/O would be nice.



2. I used this book with great success in the course, Introduction to Programmable Logic Controllers, which I developed for a leading aircraft manufacturer. This book was recommended reading prior to attending other PLC courses offered in my training business.



3. This book is intended for the beginner, it has so may misprints and errors in it makes a hard subject for the beginner to an impossible one to understand! This 4th edition has many of the same misprints in it from the first edition! I would never recommend this book to anyone!

4 comments about Structural Engineering Formulas.

1. Excellant quick referance. Reviewed this book while studying for recent PE exam. Author included plenty of blank "Note" pages throughout book which I utilized to add comments and referances to other texts. Used book during exam with great success.



2. The book provides numerous structural formula in metric format only. there is a conversion chart that shows up at the end. Nowhere in the description of the book does it state the formula applications are for SI units ONLY.



3. well organized contents. the ability to access the contents over the net is a big plus.



4. This is a very handy little book. Properties of plane areas, basic vibration, beam formulas, plates w/ various b.c.'s, foundations, frames, arches, earth retaining, pipes & tunnels. Think of it as a specialized, watered down Roark's with more than a few hidden gems. It was extremely useful in my exam and is still very used as a quick reference or for basic first passes and superpositions for more complicated problems.
   
   I humbly suggest that the review mentioning units is unfounded. The book is unitless as far as I've seen, aside from the examples. The examples use metric units.

No comments about Discovering AutoCAD 2008.

1 comments about A Tutorial Guide to AutoCAD 2008.

1. This book was great for 2D. The tutorial on 2D were easy to understand and follow chapter 1-10. The 3D Solids was not so easy to follow. I had to get another book just for 3D. Overall the book was good.