While spaghetti adorned with one of the dozens of different sauces that are served in the small, off-the-beaten path restaurants in the Italian countryside is “splendido,” wiring that looks like spaghetti is just the opposite.


A tangled web of cross-coupled electron carriers is often the result of decades of renovations, including moving a computer server room from one side of the building to another. There are cables for power, lighting, computers, precision lab equipment, telecommunications and networks, alarm systems, and some even used to hold up other cables. The origin and destination of many of these cables is often a mystery. 


This picture lends credence to claims made on many electric utility’s power quality webpages, such as the following:


• About 90 percent of all power quality problems in our area start inside the customer’s facility.


• Such problems sometimes mask more subtle difficulties that cannot be remedied without adequate wiring and grounding.


• Most power quality problems are related to grounding and neutral 
size issues.


• Loose wiring and improper grounding may contribute to power quality issues.


While the data to support these statements isn’t presented, and some of the statistics originate from studies performed decades ago, how the building is wired, and how the loads are distributed among the circuits, play a role in whether the quality of the electric supply is adequate for the proper performance and equipment operation. Several sites also note that following the National Electrical Code (NEC) may not ensure the proper operation of electronic equipment. That is possible, given the NEC’s purpose is, “the practical safeguarding of persons and property from hazards arising from the use of electricity ... This Code contains provisions that are considered necessary for safety.” However, the subsequent statement, “If you’re currently using high-end electronic equipment, then your system may no longer be up to code” is a bit of a contradiction.


The Code is not about equipment operation, rather the electrical system powering the equipment and, “Compliance therewith and proper maintenance results in an installation that is essentially free from hazard but not necessarily efficient, convenient, or adequate for good service or future expansion of electrical use.”


Designing and installing an electrical system that can adequately supply the equipment’s intended operation doesn’t conflict with the Code. Instead, it is a step forward to employ wiring practices that focus on the same laws that we use to investigate power quality problem sources—namely Ohm’s and Kirchoff’s Laws—and a common-sense awareness of the load’s susceptibilities and contribution to power quality problems. Consider the following “enhancements” for any new or renovated electrical system:


As for the spaghetti, properly spacing and securing conductors prevents heat buildup and cross-coupling of high frequency noise and transients, especially between power and communication cables. It not only looks better, but it also works better.