The Complete Handbook of Wall Light Fixtures

I own a small electrical contracting company and I've already made my new hires read the first few chapters. The breakdown of mounting types and the explanation of what actually goes into an IC-rated housing is something you don't see in most catalogs. The chapter on troubleshooting saved me a trip on a job where a sconce had a bad thermal cutoff switch. This is the book I wish someone had given me when I started in the trade.

As an interior designer, I found this book very useful, though I would have liked more visual diagrams of the different mounting plates. The sections on light distribution and beam angles are clear, and I now know to specify a 'wall wash' type with a specific throw distance instead of just guessing. It is a bit dense in the electrical sections, but it's better than reading a manufacturer spec sheet.

It's a decent reference, and the glossary at the back is well done. However, I felt the first chapter spent a bit too long on the physics of heat and photometry, which I already knew. Also, the book is quite North America-centric regarding electrical codes, and the section on brands did not mention some of the European options I use regularly. I'd say it's a good foundation, but maybe not as 'complete' as the title claims.

As a facilities manager, I was mostly interested in the maintenance and troubleshooting part. The advice to thermal-cycle an LED driver to diagnose it is a trick I haven't seen written down anywhere before. The pros are good, but the cons are that several parts of the book rehash basic lighting principles from the past decade, like photometry, that we already know. Still, a solid reference for my desk.

I do custom home builds as a GC and this manual is worth its weight in gold. The section on junction box sizing and the actual weight limits for different mounting materials is something I wasn't clear on before, and it means I'm not double-checking with the inspector on every job. My local inspector actually liked the way the book presented the mounting clearances. Excellent, practical field guide.

It has some good information, and I understand IC ratings much better now, but I found the business opportunities chapter a little generic, basically saying 'you can be a consultant.' I was hoping for a better breakdown of the financials. As a hobbyist, I also feel the installation instructions assume a level of wiring comfort that many people won't have. It's a solid book, but I wouldn't say it's the complete handbook I was expecting.