 Electricity – principally made up of atoms (electron, neutron, proton)

o 2 general classes: Dynamic & Static

 Electrical Current – flow in an electric circuit
o Classifications: Direct Current (DC) & Alternating Current (AC)
 Direct Current (DC)
o Flows in1 direction (- to +)
o Uniform in strength
o Battery/dry cell
o 2 types: Continuous/pulsating (fluctuating)
 Alternating Current (AC) – reverses direction of flow at
regular intervals
o Reverses in direction
o Frequency: 60cps (60 hertz)
 Electric Circuit – path for electric current w/ EMF
Applied
 Electromotive Force (EMF) – force which causes
Movement of electricity in a conductor
 Circuit Diagram – electrical layout
o Close Circuit – complete; continuous path
o Open Circuit – broken, incomplete, disconnected
 Two Types: Parallel & Series
 Ohm’s Law – relationship of EMF, Current, Resistance

 Voltage (volts) – EMF; pressure or force; voltmeter

 Amperes (amps) – inherent in wires (conductor)
o Ampacity – current carrying capacity (w/o undue heating)
 Ohms – friction; inherent in insulator/Ohmmeter
 Watt – rate of power; power consumption
o Watt meter – any one time; Watt-hour meter – periodic/ KWH meter/ Electricity meter
 Alternator – AC Generator
 Generator – ME to EE
 Motor – EE to ME
 Battery – electrochemical; electrolysis
o Primary – nonrenewable
o Secondary – rechargeable
 Electrical Power Sources & Alternative Power Sources

 Electric Power Generation/ Distribution

o Service Entrance (SE – aerial)

o Underground Service Entrance (USE)
  Service Entrance (SE – Aerial)
o Power supplied to a building through a service entrance
o 3 heavy wires (drop), extend from utility pole overhead;
wires are fastened to the structure and splice to service
entrance wires that enter a conduit through a service head
o Rigid conduit is used
 Underground Service Entrance (USE)
o Three wires are placed in a rigid conduit
o An underground service conduit is brought to the meter
socket
o Includes a watt-hour meter, main breaker, lighting
Protection

System Components of a Building

Category 1: Wirings & Raceways

 Conductors – offers low resistance

 Insulators – prevents flow of electric current
 Raceways – channel

Category 2: Power Handling Equipments

 Transformer, switchboard/switchgear, panel board, service

switch/safety switch, Circuit breaker/Fuse
o Service Distribution – delivered through a
distribution panel, or service panel

Category 3: Utilization Equipments – actual use

 Fixtures, switches, convenience outlets, branch circuits

Branch Circuits

 From the distribution panel (panel board), electricity is routed to the building through branch
circuits. Each circuit delivers electricity to a limited number of outlets ore devices & protected
with a circuit breaker
o Branch circuits are divided into 3 types by the PEC:
 Lighting circuits
 Small appliance circuits
 Individual circuits
Wires & Cables

 Flexible Metal Clad / Metal Clad / Armored Cable (FMC, MC, AC)
o BX; Flexible
 Non-Metallic sheated cable (NMC/NM) – Romex; Sheat
 General Wiring – thermoplastic (PEC)

 Mineral Insulated (MI) – jacketed • Shielded Non Metallic Sheated Cable (SNM)
o Telecommunication/submarine cable

 Service Entrance Cable – aerial/underground

  Underground feeder (UF) – direct to burial ground
 Power & Control Tray Cable (TC)
 Flat Cable Assemblies (FC) – system furniture application
/cable management
 Flat Conductor Cable (FCC) – general purpose
 Busbar – busway, busduct

 Cable Bus – Rounded

Raceways

 Floor Raceway
o Underfloor raceway – conventional installation
o Cellular Metal Floor raceway – rib decking/raised
floor system
o Cellular concrete floor raceways – T-joist/ Precast
concrete slab with built in pipes
 Ceiling Raceway
o Power & Control Tray Cable (TC)
o Busbar
o Cablebus

Power Handling Equipments

 Transformer – voltage to voltage

o Outdoor Transformer
 H-Frame – 1000kva
 Cluster Mounted – 225 kva
 Pad Mouunted – 120v to 240v
o Indoor Transformers
 Dry Type – pad mounted; switchboard
 Askarel – synthetic; non-flammable liquid
 Oil-insulated – for transformer vault
 o Transformer Rating – stepped up or stepped down
 Switchboard/Switchgear – free standing assemblies of switches, fuses/circuit breakers
o Unit Substations (Transformer Load Center) – large facility
 Panelboard – final distribution point; PP/LP
o Main Panelboard
o Distribution Panel Board
 Service Switch – large switch
o Disconnecting apparatus; service disonnecting means
Applied on apartments
 Circuit Protective Devices – overload/short circuit
o Fuse – alloy link or wire; fusible link; nonrenewable
 Plug Fuse – dwelling (5-30 amps)
 Cartridge Fuse (5-60 amps)
 Knife Blade fuse – (61-100 amps); DE/SE

 Circuit Breakers – electromechanical device
o Thermal Pigtail – senses heat
o Magnetic Pigatil – senses load

Utilization Equipment

 Fixtures/ Luminaires
o Incandescent Lamp/ Bulb – Filament

o Fluorescent Lamp
 Cylindrical Glass Tube – Phosphor
 .Cathode – argon & low pressure mercur vapor
 Ballast – limits current
 Starter – switch
  Types of Fluorescent Lamp
o Pre-heat starting – CFL
o Instant Start (slimline) – w/o a starter
o Rapid start – bi-pins
 Conduits – pipes, tubings, (electrical raceway)
o Materials (Metallic or Nonmetallic)
 Rigid Metal Conduit (RMS);
Rigid Steel Conduit (RSC)
 Intermediate Metal Conduit (IMC); IMT
 Electric Metal Conduit (EMC); EMT
 Flexible Metal (BX)
 Rigid Nonmetal (Plastic, etc.)
 Flexible Nonmetal (plastic, etc.)
 Condulets – conduit fittings
o Straight and angle couplings
o Elbow fittings
o Tee & cross connections
 Electrical Boxes
o Outlet Box – cable ends
o Utility box – outlets, switches
o Pull Box – facilitates pulling
o
o Junction box – joining, splicing
o Cut-out box – metal box
 Switches
o Controls the flow of electricity to outlets &
To individual devices
 Types of switches
o Small Appliance Circuits & Individual Circuits
 Usually “hot” meaning electricity is
available at all times
o Lighting Circuits
 May be hot or controlled by switches
o Single Pole Switches
 Controls one fixture, device or outlet
 To control light from 2 different switches,
a 3-way switching circuit (3 wires & 2
switches) is used. Often installed for the
top & bottom of stairways
 Electrical Wiring
Power Wiring
Misc. Wiring

 Convenience Outlets & Receptacles

o Outlet – point in a circuit where other devices can be connected
o Receptacle – a device (at an outlet box) to which any plug-in extension line,
appliance, or device can be connected
 Types of Oulets & Receptacles
Type A  Convenience Receptacles – for small appliances & lamps ;available
in single, double, or multiple units
 Lighting outlets for lamp holders, surface-mounted fixtures, flush or
recessed fixtures, lighting fixtures
 Special purpose receptacles – for one electrical device

Type B