Choosing the right electrical trade reference can feel like a three-way fork in the road. Do you need the fundamentals of grounding and bonding, a full residential wiring walkthrough, or a complete illustrated guide to the National Electrical Code? Your answer changes how much you pay and what you get. The four options here span a wide price range, so the decision is about both content and condition. If you're training for HVAC electrical trades work, you'll want a book that matches the task in front of you: learning a specific skill, passing a code-related course, or keeping a reference on hand for job-site questions.
Quick Take
All four books come from the MindTap Course List series and share a trade paperback format. The grounding and bonding book by Phil Simmons is the least expensive, but it's in acceptable condition, meaning pages may carry notes or highlighting. The two residential wiring books by Ray Mullin and Phil Simmons are identical in content and price, so the Very Good copy is generally the smarter buy over the Good copy. The most expensive option is Charles Miller's Illustrated Guide to the National Electrical Code, which offers a clean, illustrated reference.
Price Comparison
| Book | Price | Value Bar |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical Grounding and Bonding (MindTap Course List) | $12.12 | |
| Electrical Wiring Residential (MindTap Course List) - Paperback - GOOD | $60.32 | |
| Electrical Wiring Residential (MindTap Course List) - Paperback - VERY GOOD | $60.32 | |
| Mindtap Course List Ser.: Illustrated Guide to the National Electrical Code | $89.00 |
The bar chart shows the price spread from the $12.12 grounding book to the $89.00 code guide. The two wiring copies sit at the same $60.32 price point, so the condition rating becomes the only real difference between them.
Decision Matrix
| Product | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical Grounding and Bonding | Grounding and bonding fundamentals when you want the lowest price | Acceptable condition may include notes or highlighting, and bundled media could be missing |
| Electrical Wiring Residential (GOOD) | A readable copy of the Mullin and Simmons wiring text | The same price as the Very Good copy, so you give up condition without saving money |
| Electrical Wiring Residential (VERY GOOD) | A cleaner wiring text with the same price as the Good copy | May still lack CDs or access codes, and it costs more than the grounding book |
| Illustrated Guide to the National Electrical Code | A visually oriented code reference with clean, unfilled pages | Highest price at $89 and broader than a single-skill textbook |
Product Notes
Electrical Grounding and Bonding (MindTap Course List)
This revised trade paperback by Phil Simmons is the most approachable entry point if you want to understand grounding and bonding without investing heavily. At $12.12, it is the least expensive book here, and a full grounding and bonding course text can serve as a focused supplement to a broader wiring study plan. The trade-off comes with the acceptable condition: shrink wrap, dust covers, or a boxed set case may be missing, and pages may include limited notes, highlighting, or minor water damage. Bundled media may also be missing. If you can tolerate a study copy with marks and a missing supplement, the content itself remains readable.
Electrical Wiring Residential (MindTap Course List) - GOOD
The Good copy of Electrical Wiring Residential pairs Ray Mullin's and Phil Simmons' textbook with a 'Good' condition rating. If you need a readable residential wiring reference and you don't mind a few more signs of wear, this copy will get the job done. The trouble is that the Very Good edition sits at the same exact price, so the Good copy doesn't save you anything. Like the other wiring edition, it may not include supplemental materials such as CDs or access codes. The practical choice, if you are picking between the two wiring copies, is to take the Very Good one.
Electrical Wiring Residential (MindTap Course List) - VERY GOOD
The Very Good copy of Electrical Wiring Residential is the one to grab if you already know you want Mullin and Simmons' updated residential wiring walkthrough. It costs $60.32, the same as the Good copy, but the condition steps up: the very good rating means less visible wear on the cover and pages. The revised trade paperback covers the full residential wiring process, and because the price matches the Good version, you get better appearance for no additional money. The main limitation is that supplemental items like CDs or access codes may not be included, and at $60.32 it is far more expensive than the grounding and bonding book. If you're close to choosing between the two wiring copies, let the condition rating break the tie.
Mindtap Course List Ser.: Illustrated Guide to the National Electrical Code
Charles Miller's Illustrated Guide to the National Electrical Code is the highest-priced option at $89, but it arrives with a very good condition rating, clean pages, and a like-new interior appearance. The illustrated format pairs code concepts with visual explanations, which can be helpful when you need to trace how a rule applies in a real installation. The trade-off is that this book is more of a code reference than a focused grounding or wiring tutorial, so you may need a separate textbook for those skills. The cover does show light wear and some creasing, but the pages are clean and questions have not been filled in. If your goal is to master a single trade skill, this guide might be more than you need.
Final Recommendation
If your immediate need is grounding and bonding fundamentals and you want to spend the least, the Electrical Grounding and Bonding book is the clear match. For a broader residential wiring reference with a cleaner cover and pages, the Very Good Electrical Wiring Residential copy is the one to buy. The Good wiring copy makes sense only as a backup or second copy; since both wiring editions share the same price, the Very Good copy is the better condition pick. For code-focused exam prep, the Illustrated Guide to the National Electrical Code offers clean, unfilled pages and visual explanations, albeit at the highest price.
