Quick Take
Choosing the right electrical wiring textbook for HVAC and electrical trades work means matching the book to the setting where you'll apply it. Residential, commercial, and industrial wiring each follow different conventions and code requirements. This guide compares four Cengage Learning MindTap wiring textbooks covering all three wiring environments, including two residential options. For residential work, the 21st Edition is the strongest new-copy choice because it comes as an 848-page textbook. For commercial-focused work, the Commercial book by Ray Mullin and Phil Simmons is the relevant pick. The Industrial title by Stephen L. Herman is the one for factory and plant settings. And if you want a good-condition residential paperback, that title rounds out the comparison.
Price Comparison
| Product | Listed Price | Price Bar |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical Wiring Industrial (MindTap Course List) | $78.98 | |
| Electrical Wiring Commercial (MindTap Course List) | $81.99 | |
| Electrical Wiring Residential (MindTap Course List) - Good | $60.32 | |
| Electrical Wiring Residential, 21st Edition | $76.57 |
Decision Matrix
- If your work is in commercial buildings, focus on the Commercial edition.
- If your work is in factories or industrial plants, the Industrial title is the right direction.
- For residential service and rough-in, both Residential books apply, but the 21st Edition gives you a new 848-page copy.
- If a used copy is acceptable, the good-condition Residential paperback is the one to look at.
Product Notes
Electrical Wiring Industrial (MindTap Course List)
Stephen L. Herman's industrial wiring textbook comes from Cengage Learning's MindTap Course List series. Its title places it squarely in the industrial branch of electrical work, covering the kind of wiring you encounter in factory and plant settings. That makes it the direct match for industrial jobs, and it is the only industrial title in this comparison. The limitation is the specialization: this book is for industrial systems, so if you also need residential service or commercial load calculations, you'll be looking at one of the other titles in this set for those areas.
Electrical Wiring Commercial (MindTap Course List)
Ray Mullin and Phil Simmons are the authors behind this commercial wiring textbook, which has 640 pages. It's the commercial-specific entry in the MindTap Course List series, which is useful if your work involves commercial buildings. The substantial page count provides a lot of coverage in one volume, and the title makes the intended setting obvious. The limitation is scope: it's built for commercial wiring, so you'd need a separate residential or industrial text to cover those other environments. If your focus is commercial work, this title matches that concentration.
Electrical Wiring Residential (MindTap Course List) - Good
Ray Mullin and Phil Simmons wrote this residential wiring textbook, and it's a good-condition paperback. The main reason to pick it is the residential content combined with the lowest listed price in this comparison. The used status is the trade-off: supplemental items such as CDs or access codes may not be included, so if you need those items or prefer a brand-new textbook, this may not satisfy that expectation. It still offers the core residential wiring instruction at a lower cost.
Electrical Wiring Residential, 21st Edition
Phil Simmons authored this residential wiring textbook in its 21st Edition, which has 848 pages and a 2023 publication date. The full page count gives it substantial coverage, and the 2023 date is a concrete edition detail. The limitation is the residential-only scope: if you are also doing commercial or industrial wiring, you'll need an additional textbook that covers those specific areas. For a residential focus, this edition is a solid new-copy pick.
Final Recommendation by Use Case
Match the book to the setting you actually work in. If residential wiring is your focus, the 21st Edition is the one to choose, with the good-condition paperback as a used alternative. If you're in commercial work, the Commercial title is the direct fit. If you're in industrial or plant-based work, the Industrial textbook is the one to reach for.
