Building Permit Measure an Electric Issue for Many
from The Register Guard
Bill Sizemore says he’s freeing Oregon do-it-yourselfers from the tyranny of cranky bureaucrats with a building permits measure on the Nov. 4 ballot. Measure 63 would allow homeowners to do home improvement projects worth less than $35,000 without getting any building, electrical or plumbing permits. But opponents of the measure say there is a practical reason for the state building code and the permits that enforce it: to keep people safe. More

2008 IAEI Northwestern Annual Meeting a Success
from PortlandOnline.com
The Northwestern Section meeting of the International Association of Electrical Inspectors held in Portland, Ore., was a complete success. Over 190 electrical inspectors, contractors, electricians, and engineers were in attendance. Also, with 30 vendors participating in the event, attendees were introduced to new products and methods available on the market for electrical installations. More

Kentucky County Considers Increase in Building-Permit Fees to Pay for Certification
from Courier-Journal
Bullitt County, Ky., code enforcement director, Rudy Hawkins, asked the Fiscal Court to increase the cost of building permits by $10. Hawkins said the current fees are: $120 for the permit to build a structure, $125 for an electrical permit and $25 for an HVAC permit. He said the additional money from the increase will be used for salary increases when code-enforcement employees get industry certifications. More

Furnace Problems Were Really an Undetected Fire
from The Chronicle Herald
Susanne MacLeod thought she had a problem with her furnace. What she really had was a house fire. Fire department spokesman John Matthews said the fire was caused "by an electrical short in the wiring to a kitchen appliance." It was contained in an area behind where the dishwasher was located. No mandatory rules force homeowners to check their wiring regularly, but Nova Scotia’s chief electrical inspector says it’s a good idea. More

Branch-Circuit, Feeder and Service Calculations
from Electrical Contractor
Article 220 of the National Electrical Code (NEC) contains requirements for calculating branch-circuit, feeder and service loads. This article discusses calculating loads for electric ranges and other cooking appliances in dwelling units. More

Home Wiring is a Job for the Pros
from the Globe and Mail
Saving people from electrical accidents is the mission of the Electrical Safety Authority, a non-profit Ontario organization dedicated to protecting the public. The need for this protection is evident in the latest figures from the Ontario Fire Marshal's office. Between 2002 and 2006, residents of the province suffered 15,000 electrical fires, one third of which were directly related to residential electrical systems. More

Solar Power Reaches a Magical Milestone of 25 Percent Efficiency
from the Daily Tech
While many traditional fossil fuel technologies show slow growth in efficiency and design, solar power has instead yielded steady and rapid advances. A long awaited solar power milestone for unconcentrated silicon PV cells has been reached, thanks to steady improvement and research. More