QUESTION 1: PRINCIPLES OF ELECTRICITY

1.1 Indicate whether the following statements are TRUE or FALSE. Choose the
answer and write only 'True' or 'False' next to the question number
(1.1.1-1.1.10) in the ANSWER BOOK.

1.1.1 To gain insight into the nature of electric currents, it is necessary to

consider the structure of the atom.

1.1.2 In a DC circuit, power is the product of the applied voltage and

the resulting current.

1.1.3 The strands of conductors make it impossible for cables to bend to

a certain degree.

1.1.4 A positive temperature coefficient of resistance means the

higher the temperature, the higher the resistance of the material.

1.1.5 Kirchhoff's first law states that the algebraic sum of the voltage
drop in any closed circuit is equal to the algebraic sum of the
applied EMFs.

1.1.6 According to Norton's theorem, any network that has two terminals
and consists of resistances, voltage sources and current
sources cannot be replaced by a single current source.

1.1.7 When two magnets are placed very close to each other, like poles
attract each other and unlike poles repel each other.

1.1.8 The two principal laws of electromagnetism are known as

Faraday's laws.

1.1.9 Any two conductors separated by an insulating material is defined

as capacitors.

1.1.10 When capacitors are connected in series, each capacitor has the
same applied voltage.
(10 × 1) (10)

1.2 What does the term electromotive force mean? (2)

1.3 What are the FOUR characteristics of magnetic lines of force (4)

1.4 Two series circuit branches of 6 ohms and 4 ohms, and 10 ohms and 5
ohms respectively, are connected in parallel across a battery which has an EMF of
25 V and an internal resistance of 0,25 ohms.

Calculate the potential difference across each of the external resistance. (10)

(1)
1.5 The resistance of a coil of wire increases from 40 ohms at 10 ºC to
48,25 ohms at 60 ºC. Find the temperature coefficient of the conductor
at 0 ºC. (4)
[30]

QUESTION 2: DC MACHINES

2.1 Define armature reaction. (2)

2.2 A six-pole lap wound DC generator supplies a load of 50 A at 240 V.

Calculate the speed of the prime-mover if the machine is shunt-connected and
the armature has 864 conductors with a resistance of 0,1 Ω. The field has a resistance
of 120 ohms with a flux per pole of 50 mWb. (7)

2.3 A short-shunt, compound-wound generator supplies a load with 65 A at

a terminal voltage of 400 V. The series field, shunt field and
armature resistances are 0,1 Ω, 220 Ω and 0,15 Ω, respectively. Calculate
the brush contact voltage drop if the magnitude of the generated EMF is 420 (8)
V.
2.4 A 500-volt DC motor has an armature resistance of 0,2 Ω and draws a full
load armature current of 100 amps. Calculate the starting resistance required
if the overloads are set to trip at 125% of full load current. (3)
[20]

QUESTION 3: PRINCIPLES OF ELECTRICITY

3.1 A 20-ohm resistor is connected across a rheostat which is then connected

in series with a heater element of 600 W.

What must the value of the rheostat be for the heater to draw 10 A when the
whole circuit is connected across a 100 V supply? (6)

3.2 A copper rod of a diameter of 6 mm and a length of 1 m has a resistance

of 670 micro-ohms. The rod is then drawn out to a wire with a uniform
cross-sectional area of 0,08 mm².

Calculate the new resistance, assuming the temperature remains unaltered. (9)

3.3 The field current of a shunt connected generator is 4,1 A, with the initial
temperature of the coil being 20 ⁰C. The generator supplies full-load current
at a terminal voltage of 230 V. Just before the generator is stopped, the
temperature of the coil reaches 60 ⁰C. Calculate the drop in the field current if
the temperature coefficient of resistance at 20 ⁰C is 0,004/⁰C. (5)

(2)
3.4 A 15-microfarad capacitor is charged from a 60 V, DC supply. After being
disconnected, it is immediately connected in parallel with a discharged
capacitor of 5 microfarad.

Calculate:

3.4.1 The PD across the combination. (6)

3.4.2 The charge across each capacitor. (4)

[30]

QUESTION 4: DC MACHINES

4.1 Briefly explain the following methods of self-excited field coil connections:

4.1.1 Shunt-connected

4.1.2 Series-connected

4.1.3 Compound-connected
(3 × 2) (6)

4.2 Give THREE reasons why the shunt generator may fail to excite. (3)

4.3 A DC generator has an armature EMF of 100 V when the flux/pole is 20 mWb
and the armature speed is 800 r/min.

Calculate the EMF with:

4.3.1 The same flux but an armature speed of 1 000 r/min

4.3.2 A flux/pole of 24 mWb and an armature speed of 900 r/min

(2 × 3) (6)

4.4 A long shunt compound generator supplies a load current of 60 A. It has

an armature resistance of 0,1 ohms and a series field resistance 0,025
ohms. With the shunt field resistance of 60 ohms, the generated EMF is 248
V.
(5)
Find the terminal voltage. [20]

TOTAL: 100

(3)
FORMULA SHEET

Any applicable formula may also be used.

1. Principles of electricity

E  V  Ir Q = VC
V = IR Qse  Qt  Q1  Q2 ...  Qn
Rse  R1  R2  ... Rn
1
C se 
1 1 1 1
Rp    ...
1 1 1 C1 C 2 Cn
  ...
R1 R2 Rn
Q p  Q1  Q2  ... Qn

R C p  C1  C2  ... Cn
a
R1 1   oT1

R2 1   oT2 2. Direct-current machines

2 Z Np
Rt  R [1    (t   )] E . .
c 60
V2 c = 2a
P  VI  I 2 R 
R E gen  V  I a Ra
mmf IN
  Emot  V  I a Ra
S S
(V  E )
H 
IN Rstart   Ra
 Ia

F  BI
3. Alternating-current machines

E .N
t
Em  2BANn
E  B v
e  Em sin (2f. t  57,3)
L I Eave  0,637 Em
E
t
Erms  0,707 Em

L .N
I 1
T
f

(4)
 Np
f 
60
  2f
Z L  R  jL
1
Zc  R  j
C
R
pf  cos  
Z
S = VI

P  V . I cos  I 2R
Q  V . I sin 

4. Transformers

E  4,44 f  m N
N1 V1 I 2
kt   
N 2 V2 I1

5. Measuring instruments

im Rm
RSH 
I sh
V
Rse   Rm
im

(5) Please turn over