ELECTRICAL FINAL CIRCUITS.

SEQUENCE OF CONTROL.
The type and size of the main switchgear installed will, depend on the type and
the size of the installation and its total maximum load.
Thus, the main switchgear in any installation must be able to:
(a) isolate the complete installation from the supply:
(b) protect the installation against excess current, which may arise in, say, a
short circuit;
(c)cut off the current should a serious earth fault occur, say a live conductor
touching earthed metalwork.
i) Description of equipment at intake point.
The sequence of supply-control equipment in a single-phase installation is
shown in figure 1.00

Fig 1.00 schematic diagram of a single phase, supply intake point.

ii) Power supply’s equipment.
The incoming cable can be underground or overhead. This incoming cable is
known as the service cable. The cores are then prepared in the appropriate
termination equipment.
If overhead lines are used, there is a large main fuse cutout and generally a
neutral connector-block (neutral – link).
If the cable is underground, the termination is in the form of a sealing-box
combined with a cutout unit. The sealing-box, always used with paper-
insulated cables, serves to seal the end of the cable to prevent any moisture
from entering into the cable and possibly, in time, causing damage to the
insulation. The sealing-box is filled with a pitch-tar compound.
The cutout equipment contains the service fuse and neutral link.
The rating of the fuse is such that it will carry indefinitely the maximum
current that will flow when the total load is connected to the supply. For the
normal domestic installation, the rating is 60A, though some installations
which are all-electric require an 80A fuse. The fuse can be the rewireable or
the cartridge type.
The neutral link is a solid link generally of flat tinned copper, and is used where
the neutral side of the supply is effectively earthed. If the neutral side of the
supply is not earthed, then two fuses, one in each conductor, are provided.
Access to the cutouts is restricted to all except the supply authority's
engineers. To prevent tampering by unauthorized persons, such as
unscrupulous householders, the cutouts are sealed, and the seals must remain
unbroken
The next item in the sequence of supply-control equipment is the meter. In
installations where a single tariff applies, one meter only s needed. Where,
however, two or more tariffs apply, then the metering arrangements must
cater for this.
The purpose of any meter is to record the amount of electrical energy used by
the current-using items connected to the electrical installation. The meter thus
records the product of V (volts) and A (amperes) multiplied by t (time). The
standard unit is the kilowatt-hour. The meter terminals are sealed against
tampering and unauthorize entry.
iii) Consumer’s equipment.
From the meter the installation main cables are taken to the main switch or
switch fuse, or consumer unit.
The consumer's main switch must be of the double-pole, linked-blade type
which will isolate the complete installation from the supply when the switch is
operated.
If the supply is single-phase, both poles will be broken; if the supply is three-
phase, or three-phase and neutral, then all three, or four, poles will be broken.
Fuse provision in the main switch is either a rewireable or cartridge fuse
placed in the live conductor. In some instances, the neutral may be fused, but
more often it is a solid link.
The fuse is the consumer's main fuse and is generally of the same rating as the
service fuse, i.e 60A
When the switch and fuse are combined in one unit, the item is known as a
switch-fuse. If only one tariff applies, then only one switch-fuse will be
required.
If, however, there are two tariffs, then one switch-fuse will be required for
each tariff circuit as shown in figure 1.01.

Switchgear must be fitted as close as possible to the main cutouts and meter,
so that the cables from the meter (the "tails') are as short as possible
The distribution fuse board (DFB) is the item which distributes the electricity to
the various circuits which go to make up the complete electrical installation. In
most DFBs, the circuits are provided with individual fuses, placed in the "live'
conductor; the neutral takes the form of a connector bar or block, thus
maintaining the 'solid' link right through to the service cutouts DFBs are also
available with circuit-fuses for both sides of the supply.
The terms given to the circuits are important. Main cables are those which
carry the total current of the installation, from the cutouts and meters to the
main switch, through to the DFB.
From the DFB are then taken subcircuits or final subcircuits.
Final Subcircuits.
A final sub-circuit is an outgoing circuit from the Distribution Board (DB) or
Consumer Control Unit (CCU) supplying electrical energy to different
apparatus.
Therefor a final sub-circuit is an outgoing circuit connected to a distribution
board or consumer control unit and intended to supply electrical energy to
current using apparatus either directly or through socket outlets or fused spur-
boxes.
A final sub-circuit can range from a pair of 1.0mm2 cables feeding a light, to a
very heavy 3- core cable feeding a large motor from a circuit breaker or switch
at a main switchboard
Different types of final sub-circuits.
There are five important general groups of final sub-circuits.
a) Rating not exceeding 15A
b) Rating exceeding 15A
c) Rated for 13A fused plugs
d) Rated for feeding fluorescent and other discharge-lamp circuits
e) Rated for feeding a motor.
Distribution board

Typical simple single phase wiring diagram with two final sub-circuits from a
distribution board.