CAE 101- Building Electrical System Components

1. The design information of building electrical system components from the utility
company to the junction box.
Utility Company supply 13,800 volts (Voltages can vary from the utility company)
At the top of the pole, you see transformer that will step down the voltages to 4,160 volts. This
voltage will transfer from the junction box. The junction receives the incoming power on a high
on a primary side on a three-phase system. There are three windings one for each of the wire or
phase. The winding in this transformer will step down the voltages from 4.160 volts to 480 volts.
Wires connected on each winding then return to the secondary side of the junction box. From
here the wire will travel for further distribution.
2. Describe a switchgear.
Is the beginning of electrical distribution system inside the facility located in the electrical room.
It is made up of several sections including switches and breaker. The first section you see the
incoming power from coil transformer. The wire is connected to the main breaker or attached to
fuse. The fuse is connected to bus bar. Bus bar are made of copper or aluminum. The voltage
travel through the bus bar on each section are connected switch gear energizes each section.
Switch gear consist of five sections. Section 1 contains incoming voltage. Section 2 & 3 both
contain hydraulic breaker. Section 4 contains low ampere rating circuit breaker. The section 5 is
empty. This should be the spare section for future expansion.
3. Describe a Bus Duct.
A Bus duct is a rectangular or square metal enclosure containing bus bar. Its purpose is the same
as electrical wire in conduit that is able to handle larger ampere ratings. Bus duct is made of ten-
foot sections. Plugs or connectors are space every 2 or 3 feet for a purpose of attaching fuse
disconnect safety switches which can then supply voltage to designated area. Bus duct can be
designed that passes the room in each floor through the roof that supply power to an AC system
to where it is disconnect.

4. Describe the function of a distribution switch board, a distribution panels or a branch

circuit panel.
This can contain many circuit breaker distributing voltage in all areas of facility. They
differentiate from each other from their amperage rating. Distribution switchboard amperage
rating is 1,201 to 1,999. Distribution panel amperage rating 401 to 1,200. Circuit breaker panel
amperage rating 400 or less.

5. Describe the function of dry transformer.

The same function as an old transformer. It steps down voltage (from 480 volts to 240 volts).
The difference is the dry transformer uses air for coiling instead of oil. As the transformer heat
the air inside, cool air is cold at the bottom and keep rises to its natural convection process and
exit from the top. Use to steps down 600 volts or less.

6. Describe automatic transfer switch.

Monitors the incoming power from the utility. If there is an interruption, it will send a signal to
start the emergency generators. Once the generator reaches the desire voltage level, the
automatic transfer switch will switch over to the emergency power. There is a slight interruption
in power from the time the automatic transfer switch switches over to the generator from utility
power. Once the power from the utility was restored, the automatic transfer switch back to the
normal power.

7. Describe motor control centers (MCC):

Almost every facility there is electric motor. This MCC are made of series of sections. Each
section contains buckets. Each bucket is assigned to a specific motor. The MCC buckets contains
many things for operate a motor. Each buckets have a disconnect switch and a breaker. The
breaker is designed to strips if the power exceeds the recommended cell. The disconnect switch
is there to manually turn off the power to the motor.

8. Describe a disconnect switches.

A disconnect switches is designed for a specific voltages and amperages.