Articles & News

NEC Article 625: EV Charging Exam Guide (NEC 2023)

Electric vehicle supply equipment is the fastest growing branch circuit category in the NEC and now appears on most journeyman and master exams. Article 625 sets the rules for branch circuit sizing, overcurrent protection, disconnects, ventilation, and personnel protection. This guide walks through every section with worked examples.

NEC Article 690 Solar PV: Exam Guide (NEC 2023)

Solar PV is one of the fastest-growing chapters of the NEC and one of the most heavily revised. Article 690 covers maximum DC voltage, conductor sizing at 125 percent of short circuit current, rapid shutdown thresholds, disconnect locations, and grounding rules. This guide walks through every section likely to appear on a journeyman or master exam.

NEC Article 706 Energy Storage: Exam Guide (NEC 2023)

Battery storage installations are exploding in both residential and commercial work, driven by solar, demand response, and backup power markets. Article 706 was rewritten significantly in NEC 2020 and refined again in 2023. This guide covers listing requirements, disconnects, overcurrent protection, marking, and the cross references to Article 690 and Article 705 that exam writers love to test.

What Changed in the 2026 NEC

The 2026 edition of the NEC was issued by the NFPA Standards Council on August 20, 2025. The effective date was September 9, 2025, when it officially became available for federal, state, county, and municipal governmental entities to update their electrical installation regulations.

NEC Article 210 Branch Circuits: GFCI & AFCI Rules

GFCI and AFCI requirements from Article 210 appear on nearly every electrician exam. This guide covers every required location, the 6-foot receptacle spacing rule, and the countertop rules with exact 2023 NEC citations.

NEC Article 220 Load Calculations Overview

NEC Article 230 Services: Everything the Exam Tests

NEC Article 230 governs electrical services, where they enter a building, how they're protected, and how they disconnect. Overhead clearances, service conductor sizing, and the '6 disconnects' rule are heavily tested. This guide covers all of it with exact NEC 2023 section references.

NEC Article 240 Overcurrent Protection Overview

NEC Article 300 Wiring Methods Overview

NEC Article 430 Motors Overview

NEC Article 440 Air Conditioning: Exam Guide

NEC Article 440 is the go-to article for any A/C or refrigeration circuit. Its rules differ from Article 430 motors in important ways, conductors sized at 125% of the MCA nameplate value, HACR-rated breakers, and a different disconnect sizing approach. This guide breaks down the key rules and worked exam examples.

NEC 2023 vs 2020: What Changed for Your Exam

The NEC 2023 edition introduced changes that directly affect the most-tested topics on the electrician licensing exam: the main ampacity table was renumbered, GFCI and AFCI requirements expanded, and EV charging and energy storage rules were significantly revised. If you studied on NEC 2020 materials, here's what you need to update.

GFCI and AFCI Requirements: What Changed in NEC 2023

NEC 2023 expanded GFCI coverage, reorganized AFCI requirements, and added new protected locations. Here's what changed, where protection is now required, and the exam questions you're most likely to see.

NEC Article 314 Box Fill Overview