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There is good news and bad news with the recent National Electrical Code 2008, according to Raymond Heintel, associate principle, Westlake Reed Lekovsky. The good news is that NEC 2008 features better language over past NECs. The bad news? There are more than 500 changes.

Heintel provided an overview of many of the changes to NEC at the BICSI conference in Nashville, Tenn., April 29.

One of the most significant areas with changes, according to Heintel, is in grounding/bonding. Added to the Code is a definition of bonding or bonded, which is “bonded or bonding is connected to establish electrical continuity and conductivity.”

And, the term “grounding” finally has been simplified in the NEC where the definition now just reads: “Article 100 – Definition Ground: the earth.” It used to read, “a conducting connection, whether intentional or accidental, between an electrical circuit or equipment and the earth or to some conducting body that serves the place of the earth.”

In addition, to Section 250 on grounding, Heintel says there are 174 changes in total. Course, many changes are slight or pertain to paragraphs, sub paragraps and exceptions.