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This dynamic training program will take you the exciting world of electrical wiring
used in homes and commercial facilities all over the world. ITU’s trademarked “Lean
Learning” method provides you with the fastest, most effective way to teach and
learn the subject matter. You will literally be able to use what you learn the very first
day on the job! Fastest , Most Practical, and Most Effective training found anywhere.
Proven and used in literally thousands of training programs across the nation by
hundreds of Educational venues and training programs.

Learn & Build

Lecture Circuits
(Interactive) (Hands-On)

Troubleshoot
(Hands-On)

2
3
 Table of Contents

•Understanding Electrical Basics

•Understanding Circuit Basics
•Wiring Methods
•AC/DC Principles
•Plugs and Connectors
•Conductor Types
•Ampacity
•Basic Grounding
•Ground Fault Protection
•Receptacles
•Electrical Main Panels
•Circuit Protection
•Electric Metering
•Single Phase Wiring Systems
•3-Way Circuits
•Buzzers and Bells
•Testing Circuits
•Common Tools
•10 Hands-On Labs

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5
 Electrical Wiring

All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval
system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopy,
recording, or otherwise, without the expressed permission of Industrial Training.
University herein called ITU which includes all employees, affiliates, owners, officers, and
all people concerned. While ITU makes every attempt to insure that no errors or omissions
are allowed, and that all of the material printed or expressed herein is accurate, ITU does
not warrant or guarantee any part of it’s publications for accuracy nor any equipment or
devices sold or distributed.. It is the sole responsibility of the end user or client to abide by
all safety codes and all regulations regarding the use and operation of any product or
device distributed by ITU. ITU is not responsible for injury or damages cause in any way
by the products, publications, or devices distributed by ITU.

6
 Electrical Wiring 101

Understanding Circuitry Basics

• An electrical circuit is a closed path through which electricity can flow
from a source through a hot wire to the device to be powered and
then back to the source again through a neutral wire. Along the
circuit there may be fixtures, receptacles, and/or switches (protected
by housing boxes), connected by either parallel or series wiring.

• Wiring may be routed in any of several different ways. For example,

the cable for a switch may run through a switch box and then on to
the light, or it may run through the light to the switch box via a
“switch loop.” Other wires may run through either the switch box or
the housing box or both, un-switched, on their way to powering
different devices down the line.

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• Switch wiring
Switches, which are installed on hot wires, allow or disallow the flow
of current to a light or other device. A knife-blade switch illustrates
the position of the switch when it completes a circuit, allowing
electricity to power a device. The drawing below it illustrates the
position of the switch when it interrupts the flow of current from the
hot bus bar, disallowing the flow of electricity to power a device.

• Series wiring
This type of wiring is rarely used anymore because it operates along
the same principle as old-style Christmas lights (see the drawing
below)—when one light burned out, no lights on the string would
illuminate. Series wiring routes the hot wire through several devices
and then joins the neutral wire, which leads back to the source.

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Electrical Service
Originally, electrical power was formed by chemical reaction, and that's
still the way that batteries work. This type of current, known as direct
current (DC), flows from a negative pole through an electrical device
(such as a light bulb) and on to the positive pole. However, direct
current can't be transmitted over long distances without a
debilitating drop in voltage.

Utility companies now provide households with alternating (AC) current,

which actually pulses--or reverses direction--120 times, or 60 cycles,
per second (called 60 hertz power). AC power moves in waves, as
shown. Light bulbs actually flicker as power ebbs and flows, but the
human eye can't detect it.

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• The three basic kinds of plugs are: self-connecting, terminal-screw, and
three-prong. Lamps and small appliances mostly use self-connecting
plugs. The prongs clamp onto the wires of the cord, making an
automatic connection. These plugs do not meet National Electrical
Code standards.

With terminal-screw plugs, the wires attach to screws inside the cord
body; this type of plug is usually found on older appliances. An older
terminal- screw plug often has a removable insulating disk covering the
terminals and wires. Newer plugs have rigid insulating barriers.

Three-prong plugs are used for larger appliances such as washers,

dryers, refrigerators, and power tools, and include a prong that
grounds the appliance. When planning where you are going to place a
large appliance, be sure you have the appropriate kind of outlet
available, or plan to install one. Grounded outlets are required to be
installed.

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• The two most common types of single conductor wires are THW and
THWN/THHN, which are protected by metal or plastic sheathing. The
wires themselves can be either solid or stranded. Solid-core wire
produces the best connections, but its stiffness makes it more difficult
than stranded wire to route through conduit. You can purchase wire by
the foot or in spools that range from 50 to 500 feet. Depending on your
installation, make sure to check the rating for indoor or outdoor
application as well as for temperature tolerance (some wire can
withstand heat up to 167 degrees Fahrenheit).

The most common multi-conductor cable is made from metal or plastic

and contains a neutral wire, a “hot” wire (or two), and a grounding wire.
The neutral and hot wires are insulated by a thermoplastic material; the
grounding wire may or may not be insulated. The wires are color-coded
to guard against connection errors. Neutral wires are white or gray,
grounding wires are green, and hot wires are any other color.

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• The cables shown here include: Two kinds of type NM cable,
described above, which are the common choices for interior
installations. The most recent version, known as NM-B, can only be
used in dry locations and tolerates heat up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
NM and NM-B cable can be purchased by the foot and also come in
boxes that hold anywhere from 25 to 250 feet of it. A larger version of
NM cable, called large appliance cable, is sheathed in black, and
because of its bulk contains stranded rather than solid wire to make
routing it easier. Type MC armored cable is sheathed in spiral metal,
but because of its expense it is not commonly used for interior
applications.

• The various types of cable are also designated by how many

conductors they contain and their size. For example, a cable identified
as “14-2” with ground has one neutral and one hot wire as well as a
grounding wire. The #14, designated by the American Wire Gauge,
stands for the diameter of the wires alone, without insulation. The
larger the diameter, the greater the wire’s capacity is to carry current.
A conductor’s designation is stamped on the cable sheathing as well
as on each wire.

• The mostly commonly used metal for wires is copper, due to its
efficiency as a conductor. Wire also comes in aluminum and aluminum
clad with copper, but, because these are not as efficient in conducting
current, the wires need to be larger to achieve the same capacity.
Before using either of these alternatives, check local codes.

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• Copper Wires: Maximum Allowable Ampacity The following
restrictions, from the National Electrical Code, apply when there are
no more than three current-carrying conductors in a cable or
enclosure.

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• Armored Cable: Full-metal jacket armored cable winds through the attics and
walls and beneath the floors of millions of American homes. This galvanized
steel spiral metal sheath and wire was once the traditional material for wiring
electricity in houses, but is now used mostly in situations where extra
protection is needed for wires.

• Two or three insulated wires run through each armored casing, and each wire
is wrapped with rugged paper, called bushing. In a two-wire cable, one wire is
black, the other white--they're color coded to maintain continuity throughout
the electrical system (the black is normally "hot" and the white is "neutral").

The metal casing serves as a ground, but armored cable also has an internal
ground or "bonding strip" that must run uninterrupted between all
connections. The steel jacket may be cut with a hacksaw or bent and snipped
with diagonals, then broken. Special connectors with bushings at the ends are
for making connections to electrical boxes.

Armored cable, which dates back to the early 1900s, is commonly known as
BX, a product designation it was given by its first makers, Johnson and
Greenfield (the metal sheath without interior wires is called "greenfield").
Today, where allowed by codes, BX may only be installed in dry, indoor
locations. Romex non-metallic cable has replaced BX as the most common type
of home wiring.

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Electrical Grounding
In 1962, electrical codes changed, requiring all 120-volt circuits to be grounded; in
1999, codes changed again, requiring all 240-volt circuits to be grounded.
Grounding simply means that all metal portions of a circuit come in contact with
the ground, which renders their voltage 0. This prevents electric shock or fire in
the event the electrical system malfunctions.

An added protection is that the receptacle shown is a ground fault circuit interrupter
(GFCI). When this type of receptacle detects an unequal flow of current, it
immediately (in 1/40th of a second) shuts down the circuit, rendering all
devices plugged into that particular receptacle, as well as all other devices
“downstream,” powerless.
While GFCI receptacles are not required throughout a home’s entire electrical
system, current electrical codes dictate that they be installed in all locations
where there is moisture—and therefore a greater potential for shock or even
electrocution—including bathrooms, kitchens, garages, decks, and patios.

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 Ground Fault Protection
• GFCI Receptacles A special type of
receptacle called a GFCI (or GFI),
short for ground-fault circuit
interrupter, is required in kitchens,
bathrooms, and other exposed,
damp areas of a home to protect
from the serious shock that can
occur where electricity and water
meet.

• Identified by the reset and test

buttons located on its face, a 120-
volt GFCI receptacle takes the place
of a standard duplex receptacle and
monitors electric current. It is like a
super-sensitive circuit breaker.
Whenever the amounts of incoming
and outgoing current are not equal,
such as during a ground fault or
current leakage, the GFCI will sense
the problem and shut down itself or,
in some cases, other receptacles on
the same circuit.
•
So it one or several of the
receptacles in the kitchen,
bathroom, or outdoor areas ceases
to work, look for the GFCI
receptacle that serves that circuit.
• Just push the reset button to reset
the receptacle--this will turn on any
others connected to it
• Just push the reset button to reset
the receptacle--this will turn on any
others connected to it.

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 Duplex Receptacles

• 120-Volt Duplex Electrical Receptacles These receptacles, which come in

several different colors, are easily identified: they have two identical outlets,
each with three plug-in slots.

• Each outlet has an arched slot at the bottom that grounds the appliance;
above that are two narrow slots— the wider one is neutral and the narrower
one is hot. Check the amperage and voltage requirements of the appliance you
intend to plug in to the outlet against the amperage and voltage of the outlet,
which are clearly shown on the front of the outlet itself.

Some duplex receptacles allow for back wiring instead of side wiring because it
is a simpler process; however, back wiring is not as secure a connection as side
wiring and may not even be allowed by local codes, so check before replacing
or installing a new outlet. The best option is to purchase a duplex outlet that
has both types of connectors.

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The Main Electrical Panel, Circuit Breakers & Subpanels

Once electricity is carried beyond your meter, it must be distributed to lights,

receptacles, and appliances throughout the house by several different
electrical circuits. Here we look at the load centers--the distribution center or
main panel and smaller subpanels used to hook up and control the various
electrical circuits.

Main panels come in scores of sizes and configurations. A panel might be mounted
on the outside of the house, either separate from or combined with the meter,
or on an inside wall, behind the meter.

The main panel receives three incoming electrical service wires and routes
smaller cables and wires to secondary subpanels and electrical circuits
throughout your house. Power lines connect to the two top lugs of the meter
mount.

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The main breakers pull electricity from the two bottom lugs when the meter is in place to
complete the circuit. The main breakers (shown below left) deliver electricity to the two
buss bars, which, in turn, pass it along to the secondary circuit breakers.

For safety, all circuits should be grounded: a continuous conductor (often solid copper) runs from
the neutral connector inside the panel to a ground such as either a water pipe or metal rod
driven into the ground.

The main panel also includes some type of mechanical device for disconnecting the
house's electrical circuits from the incoming power. In most contemporary systems, this
device is a circuit breaker or "breaker." A circuit breaker is a switch that may be shut off
manually or may be tripped automatically by a failure in the electrical system, usually an
overload that could cause the wires to heat up or even catch fire. Other types of
disconnects utilize levers and fuses--you pull down on a lever or pull out a fuse block to
shut off the power to the house circuits.

The maximum amperage that a service panel may deliver at one time is marked on the
main breaker. For most homes, a 100-amp main is sufficient to handle all of the electrical
needs; many new home builders now install 150-amp or 200-amp services to ensure plenty
of capacity. Electrical service panels rated at 60 amps or lower are undersized for
contemporary needs.

Every circuit breaker is rated for the type of wire and load required by its circuit. The most
typical capacities for lighting and receptacle circuits are 20-amp and 15-amp. Standard
circuit breakers for 120-volt circuits take one slot; breakers for 240-volt circuits take two.
Some manufacturers make extra-thin circuit breakers that take only half the space of
standard breakers.

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 Electric Metering

Understanding Your Electrical Meter Where power lines enter your house, you'll find
an electric meter, which looks like a large glass jar with a bunch of wheels and
dials inside. Inside the electric meter, four or five dials measure kilowatt hours—
the units of electricity you're billed for.

A kilowatt hour is equal to 1000 watt hours, the amount of energy it would take to
light ten 100-watt light bulbs for one hour. Each month a utility company
representative records the dial readings. The previous month's reading is
subtracted from the current month's to come up with the usage that appears on
your bill. If you know how to read an electric meter, you can do the same thing.
This can be helpful in tracking energy costs or checking the accuracy of your bills.

Read an electric meter from right to left, jotting down the number each pointer
has passed or is pointing to. Note in the illustration that the numbers circle the
dials alternately clockwise and counterclockwise. Don't let this confuse you.

If the dial hasn't quite reached a certain number, record the next lowest digit. If
you're not sure whether or not the dial has passed a certain number, study the
one to its right to see whether or not it has passed zero.

Write the numbers down in the same order that you take them-from right to left-
but read the result from left to right. The meter shown would read 02798.

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Depending on the amount of electricity a given circuit needs to deliver, it may
attach to only one hot bus bar and the neutral bus bar or to both hot bus bars.
For example, a circuit that delivers 120 volts connects to one hot bus bar and
the neutral bus bar, while a circuit that delivers 240 volts connects to both hot
bus bars.

The means of attachment is commonly known as a fuse or circuit breaker and

protects the circuit from sudden surges in current. Neutral conductors are all
grounded through direct contact with the soil. Unlike the hot bus bars, a
neutral bus bar does not have an over current protection device so it can
maintain 0 volts at all times.

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A double pole breaker attaches to both line
poles in the panel and delivers 240 volts to
the two black wire circuit. These wires are
called the “ Non-Grounded, Current Carrying
Conductors”.
The Neutral bus bar connects the whit
common wires returning from both the 240
and 120 volt circuits. This allows the current
to flow back to the source. This wire is called
the “Grounded Current Carrying Conductor”.
A single pole breaker attaches to one pole in
the panel and delivers 120 volts to the single
black wire circuit. This black wire is called
the “Non-Grounded, Current Carrying
Conductor”.
The Ground bus connects the bare or green
ground wires returning from each device in
the system to earth ground. This wire is
called the “ Grounding, Non-Current Carrying
Conductor”.
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Branch Electrical Circuits & Wiring Systems A typical system has several circuits to
deliver electricity to different areas of the property, as shown in the illustration
below. All of these so-called branch circuits originate at a service distribution
panel, which has two hot bus bars and one neutral bus bar.

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A Basic Electrical Circuit

While the labyrinth of wires that runs through the inner recesses of a
facility may seem to most people to be a tangled mess, they are—in order
to function safely or at all—a precisely organized system.

An electrical system is made up of a number of circuits. A “circuit,” by definition,

is a circular journey that begins and ends at the same place, and this is
essentially how electricity works. Current begins at a power source, powers
the appliance or device along the circuit, and then returns to the power
source. Any interruption in this path will render the circuit dead.

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The utility company's electrical lines may enter a house overhead from a power
pole or underground from a buried pipe called conduit. Where the power
enters your house, you'll usually find an electric meter and, either there or on
an inside wall, behind the meter, the main service panel.

Called "rough-in components," wires, cables, and electrical boxes are installed
during construction, before the wall and ceiling finish materials are put in
place.

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"Finish components," such as receptacles, switches, and light fixtures,
are installed after the interior coverings are installed.

26
 3-Way Switch

• Sometimes these can be a bit tricky. It's actually pretty straight forward. The
switch doesn't have an on or off position like a single pole switch. Look at the
photo, It can be off in the up or down position. There are 3 terminals too! A
regular switch only has two. We need three for a 3-way switch for the two
circuits it has.

Follow the circuit through and you'll see it: go to 'start' at the black and white
on the left top. This is power coming into the first switch. Lets say it's going to
go through the switch on the green line, out on the red "traveler wire" to the
other 3-way switch, through the green circuit and out to the light. Now if I
switch the light on the left to the yellow position, the light goes off because
the power moves to the black wire, but the other switch is still set for the red
wire, so it's now off. If I turn the right switch so it connects to the black, the
light is back on. You can turn either switch to turn the light on or off because
there are two circuit possibilities. You'll notice the white or "neutral wire" just
goes through the boxes for the switches, it never gets switched, only the hot.

They use a 12/3 Romex cable that has a black, red, white and a ground for
wiring between two 3-way switches.

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 Buzzer and Bell

• In a buzzer, the simplest sort of doorbell, an electromagnet is used to operate

a self-interrupting circuit. You can see how this system works in the diagram
below.

Energizing the doorbell circuit puts this mechanism in motion. Initially, the
electromagnetic field attracts the iron bar, which pulls the contact arm off the
stationary metal contact. This breaks the connection between the circuit and
electromagnet, so the electromagnet shuts off.
• Without a magnetic field pulling it back, the contact arm snaps back into
position against the stationary contact. This reestablishes the connection
between the electromagnet and the circuit, and the current can flow through it
again. The magnetic field draws the contact arm up, and the process repeats
itself as long as you hold down the buzzer button. In this way, the
electromagnet keeps shutting itself on and off.
• The moving arm is attached to a long clapper, which rests alongside a circular
bell. As the arm moves back and forth, the clapper hits the bell repeatedly. This
is the same system used in old-fashioned fire alarms and school bells.

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 Testing Circuits
• How to Safely Test an Electrical Circuit
Whenever you work on an electrical circuit, it
is very important to first make sure that the
circuit is turned off--not just at the switch,
but at the main panel or subpanel that
controls the electrical circuit. Then, before
working on the circuit, you must check the
circuit or device to double-check that it is
indeed off.
• To safely test an electrical circuit use a circuit
tester (as pictured at left and enlarged at
right) to ensure no electricity is flowing
through. Holding the insulated parts of the
probes, touch the bare metal end of the
black probe to the grounding conductor or
the grounded metal box, and then, while
holding the probe there, touch the bare end
of the other probe to the terminal or bare
wire that is normally "hot" (live). This is
typically a black or red wire or a white wire
wrapped in black tape to designate that it is
on the "hot" side of the circuit. If the circuit
is live, the tester will light up (or otherwise
signal the presence of electricity, depending
on the kind of tester you are using).

• Always hold the probes of the tester by the

insulation around them. In the event that the
right circuit was not turned off, or if the
system shorted out, the wires in the circuit
could still be hot. Touching wires with your
fingers or any metal tool could cause a short
circuit and very possibly give you a serious
shock.
• To test whether a receptacle is live or dead,
you don't need to remove the device's
faceplate. Simply insert the tester’s probes
into the slots, as shown at right. If the tester
lights up, the receptacle is still conducting
electricity.

29
 Common Tools
Electrical Tools Most electrical wiring jobs are relatively easy to handle with a few
inexpensive tools. If you want to do fairly sophisticated repairs, you'll also want a
multi-meter.
Circuit tester
Simple and inexpensive, a circuit tester plugs into a conventional outlet and tells you whether the
circuit is "hot" (charged) or properly grounded

Continuity tester
A small, battery-operated continuity tester costs less than $10. It can be used to determine whether
wiring is broken and electrical circuits are complete.

Lineman's pliers
A pair of these is the best tool to use for cutting heavy wire or cable and twisting wire ends together.
To twist two wires together, hold them side by side with one hand, their stripped ends aligned, and
point the blunt end of the pliers in line with them, clamp down, and twist in a clockwise direction

Long-nose pliers
Long-nose pliers are great for bending small loops at wire ends or for cutting off wires (most include
a wire-cutting section). Use the pointed end of the pliers to form a smooth, 3/4 circle at a wire's
end, designed to circle around a screw terminal (always hook the wire onto the terminal with the
end of the bend sweeping clockwise from the wire).

Multi-meter
You'll want to have a multi-meter on hand for making a variety of continuity checks, checking
voltage, and other similar tasks. Read the manufacturer's instructions for a thorough understanding
of techniques. Multi-meters, which do the job of ohm meters, volt meters, and related tools, are
sold at consumer-electronics stores for under $20.

Neon voltage tester

This helpful little tool can tell you whether wires are "hot" or not. When using it, be sure to hold only
the insulated probes, not the bare parts. Touch one probe to what you suspect is a hot wire and the
other probe to a neutral wire or grounding wire (or grounded metal electrical box). If the small light
glows, the circuit is live

Screwdrivers
You'll want an assortment of screwdrivers with insulated rubber grips. Be sure to get both flat-
bladed and Phillips-head drivers.

Wire stripper
Most electrical wires run inside a sheath of insulation—a plastic, rubber, or paper coating that
prevents bare conductors from shorting against each other or shocking you. When splicing wires or
connecting them to devices, you must remove the insulation, a relatively simple job when you have
an inexpensive wire stripper.

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31
 Hands- On Lab
One Way Light Circuit

Properly connect the Hot

and Neutral wires to the
breaker panel.

Once completed, this circuit should energize and de-energize the

lamp when the switch is opened, and closed.

Note: Be sure to connect the ground wire correctly!

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 Hands- On Lab
One Way Two-Light Circuit
Properly connect the Hot
and Neutral wires to the
breaker panel.

Once completed, this circuit should energize and de-energize both

of the lamps when the switch is opened, and closed.

Note: Be sure to connect the ground wire correctly!

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 Hands- On Lab
One Way Two-Light Circuit and Receptacle
Properly connect the Hot
and Neutral wires to the
breaker panel.

Leave the above circuit and ADD this next receptacle circuit
Note: Be sure to connect the ground wire correctly!

Properly connect the Hot

and Neutral wires to the
breaker panel to it’s own breaker.

Once completed, this circuit should energize and de-energize both

of the lamps when the switch is opened, and closed. AND. Supply
power to the receptacle all of the time.

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 Hands- On Lab
Add another Receptacle

Properly connect the Hot

and Neutral wires to the
breaker panel.

Once completed, this circuit should energize and de-energize both

of the lamps when the switch is opened, and closed. AND. Supply
power to both of the receptacles all of the time.

Note: Be sure to connect the ground wire correctly!

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 Hands- On Lab
Dual Light Circuit

Properly connect the Hot

and Neutral wires to the
breaker panel.

Once completed, this circuit should allow each switch to energize

and de-energize their respective lamps when the switch is opened,
and closed.

Note: Be sure to connect the ground wire correctly!

36
 Hands- On Lab
240 Volt Utility Receptacle

Properly connect the Hot

and Neutral wires to the
breaker panel.

Once completed, this receptacle should have 12 volts between “L1”

and “Neutral” and 12 Volts from “L2” and Neutral. In addition there
should be 24 Volts Between “L1” and “L2”.

37
 Hands- On Lab
240 Volt Utility Receptacle

Properly connect the Hot

and Neutral wires to the
breaker panel.

Now, Add another Receptacle

Once completed, this receptacle should have 12 volts between “L1”

and “Neutral” and 12 Volts from “L2” and Neutral. In addition there
should be 24 Volts Between “L1” and “L2”. 12 Volts should be
present at the regular receptacle.

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 Hands- On Lab
Buzzer Circuit

Properly connect the Hot

and Neutral wires to the
breaker panel.

Once completed, this circuit should energize and de-energize the

Buzzer when the switch is opened, and closed.

39
 Hands- On Lab
Three – Way Light Circuit

Using the diagram shown above, Draw a circuit that allows two separate
three way switches to control the single lamp.

Once you have completed your drawing. Construct the circuit on your electrical
training panel and see it work.

40