Mike Holt migrating from (review 8)

Mike Holt's been the gold standard for code training since before half the apprentices on your crew were born. His books, videos, and seminars have probably taught you something at some point. So why would you migrate to a phone app for code lookups? Short answer: different tool, different job.

What Mike Holt Does Well

Mike Holt's material is a teaching curriculum. The illustrated code books explain the why behind articles, walk you through calculation examples step by step, and tie related sections together with cross-references. If you're prepping for a journeyman or master exam, his exam prep stuff is hard to beat. The video library covers grounding and bonding, transformer calcs, motor circuits, and just about every other topic that gives people headaches.

For continuing education, code change classes, and deep study, Mike Holt is still where I send apprentices. Nothing in this post changes that.

Where It Falls Short on the Job

Here's the problem. You're on a ladder pulling MC into a finished ceiling and the inspector wants to know why you didn't pull a separate equipment grounding conductor. You don't need a 90 minute video on Article 250. You need to know what NEC 250.118 says about MC cable being a recognized equipment grounding path, and you need it in 15 seconds before he writes you up.

The illustrated code book is in the truck. The app version is searchable but the search is keyword-based and pulls up training content alongside the actual code text. The video library is useless without a quiet room and a Wi-Fi connection.

• Truck or office, not the wall you're working on
• Built for study sessions, not 30 second lookups
• Search returns training articles mixed with code references
• Video answers require time you don't have on a callback

What Ask BONBON Does Differently

BONBON is a code lookup tool, not a training platform. You ask it a plain English question like "GFCI required for a dishwasher receptacle in a residential kitchen" and it gives you the article, the exception if there is one, and the answer. NEC 210.8(A)(7) covers dishwashers, and you'll see the citation, the rule, and any conditions in one screen.

It runs offline once installed, so the basement panel room with no signal isn't a problem. It cites the article number every time, so when the inspector asks where you got that from, you have the receipt.

Field tip: when you ask BONBON a question, include the occupancy type (dwelling, commercial, industrial) in your prompt. Article applicability changes by occupancy and you'll get a tighter answer.

How to Migrate Without Losing What Works

You don't replace Mike Holt with BONBON. You stack them. Mike Holt for learning, BONBON for looking up. Here's how the rotation works for most guys who switch:

1. Keep your Mike Holt illustrated code book in the truck for breaks and lunch reading
2. Keep your subscription to his video library for evening study and CEU credits
3. Use BONBON on the phone for in-the-moment code lookups, inspector questions, and bid walks
4. When BONBON gives you an answer that surprises you, go back to Mike Holt that night to understand the reasoning

That last step matters. Phone lookups are quick, but you should still be able to explain the rule to a helper. The why comes from the training material. The what fits in your pocket.

Common Articles Where the Speed Difference Matters

These are the lookups that come up daily on most jobs, and where flipping pages or scrubbing through a video costs you real time:

• NEC 210.8 GFCI requirements by location
• NEC 210.12 AFCI requirements for dwelling units
• NEC 250.122 minimum equipment grounding conductor sizing
• NEC 310.16 ampacity tables for conductors in raceway
• NEC 314.16 box fill calculations
• NEC 408.36 panelboard overcurrent protection
• NEC 110.26 working space requirements

Any of these in a Mike Holt video is a 5 to 20 minute answer. In BONBON it's a 10 second answer with the citation. The video answer is better if you're learning. The app answer is better if you're working.

What You Lose, What You Gain

Real talk on the trade-offs. You lose the depth of explanation that Mike Holt brings. You lose the cross-referencing that an illustrated book does so well, where Article 250 sends you to 100, 110, and 408 with page-flip tabs. You lose the structured curriculum.

You gain speed, offline access, plain English questions, and citation-first answers. You gain the ability to settle a debate with the GC or inspector without leaving the work area. You gain time back at the end of the day because you're not chasing answers in the truck on lunch.

Field tip: if you're studying for an exam, do not use BONBON as a primary study tool. It's built for fast field answers, not for teaching you how the code is structured. Mike Holt for the test, BONBON for the truck.

If you're a Mike Holt user thinking about adding BONBON, you don't have to pick. Most working electricians end up using both, each for what it's actually good at. Keep the books, keep the videos, and put the phone tool in your pocket for the moments when 30 seconds is all you have.