Overview:

The Branch Circuit

• Branch Circuit • Electrical Circuit may be defined as a
complete conducting path carrying current
• Circuiting from a source of electricity to and through
Guidelines some electrical device or load and back to
• Protection of Branch the source.
Circuit • In short, electric circuit is the entire
• Fuse, Breaker and house wiring installation.
Panel Board
• Lamp Control and • Branch Circuit (acc. to NEC) refers to “the
the Master Switch circuit conductors between the final over
• Emergency Electric current protective device and the outlets.”
Supply System

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Service
The supplying of utilities required
or demanded by the public
Substation
An auxiliary power station
where electrical current is
converted or where voltage
is stepped up or down
Line Drop
The decrease in voltage between
two points on a power line,
usually caused by resistance or
leakage along the line

•The Source of Voltage Service Entrance Conductor

The portion of a service conductor extending
from a service drop or service lateral to the
Service Drop
The overhead portion of service
conductors extending from the

The Branch service equipment of a building nearest utility pole to a building

•The Wiring
Service Lateral
Watt-Hour Meter
The underground portion of service

Circuit
A meter for measuring and recording the
conductors extending from a main
quantity of electric power consumed with
power line or transformer to a
respect to time
building

•The Load
Feeder
Transformer Vault Switchgear Room Any of the conductors
A fire-rated room housing Contains the service extending from the
a transformer and equipment for a large service equipment to
auxiliary equipment for a building various distribution
large building points in a building
Service Equipment
Equipment necessary for
controlling, metering and
protecting the electric
Standby Generator
power supply to a builidng
For providing emergency power
during a power outage. Switchboard Unit Substation
One or a group of panels on A freestanding enclosure
Uninterruptible Power Supply which are mounted switches, housing a disconnect
An emergency system designed overcurrent devices, switch, a step-down
to provide pwer automatically and metering instruments and transformer and
instantaneously buses switchgear

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Branch Circuit CLASSIFICATIONS OF BRANCH CIRCUITS

The portion of an electrical
system extending from the final
overcurrent device protecting a
circuit to the outlets served by General Purpose Branch Circuit -
General Purpose Circuit
the circuit
A branch circuit that supplies GENERALLY 15, 20A supplies outlets for lighting and
LTG A
current in several outlets for appliances, including convenience
lighting and appliances
receptacles.
Appliance Circuit
A branch circuit that supplies
current in one or more outlets
specifically intended for
appliances

Individual Circuit Appliance Branch Circuit - supplies

Distribution Panel
A panel for distributing
power to other panels or to
motors and other heavy
power-consuming loads.
Controls, distributes and
protects several similar
branch circuits in an
electrical system
15, 20, 30, or 50A
A branch circuit that supplies
current only to a single piece of
A A outlets intended for feeding appliances.
electrical equipment Fixed lighting is not supplied.
Low-Voltage Individual Branch Circuit - is
Of or pertaining to a circuit in which alternating SIZE REQUIRED
SINGLE ITEM
designed to supply a single specific item,
current below 50 volts is supplied by a step-down FOR ITEM FED
transformer form the normal line voltage used in such as a motor load or a unit air-
residential systems to control doorbells, conditioner.
intercoms, heating and cooling systems and
remote lighting fixtures. Low-voltage circuits do
not require a protective raceway

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 GENERAL CIRCUITING GUIDELINES

The Branch Circuit

1. General: Branch circuits shall be
“Good” Circuitry design is based on the following considerations: enough to supply a load of 30 watts
per square meter (3 watts per
20 amp square foot) in buildings excluding

C3

C3

C3
porches, garages and basements.
• Flexibility of the circuit
• Reliability and Efficiency of Service
• Safety of the Circuitry 2. In all but the smallest installations,

DINE

KIT
• Economy as to Cost connect lighting, convenience

20 amp
receptacles, and appliances in

C1
Range
• Energy Consideration separate circuits. The Code requires a

C4

C2
minimum of 2 - 20 amperes
• Space allocation

Ref
appliance branch circuit to feed all
small appliance outlets in the kitchen,
pantry, dining and family room.

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3. Convenience receptacles in an area

shall be wired to at least two Protection of the Branch
different circuits so that in case of
failure in any one of the circuits, the Circuit
entire area will not be deprived of
power.

• As a Rule, branch circuit should be

4. General purpose branch circuits shall protected from over current.
be rated at 20 amperes wired with
No. 12 AWG minimum. Switch legs
may be No. 14 AWG if the lighting
load permits.
Causes of Over Current:
• Overload in the equipment or
conductors
5. Limit the circuit load for lighting and
small appliances on 15 amp and 20 • Short circuit or ground fault
amp circuit loads and on 15 and 20
amp overcurrent devices respectively.

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Protection of the Branch Protection of the Branch

Circuit Circuit
• An overcurrent protection device protects The over current protective devices are
the circuit by opening the device when the installed in circuits to protect the
current reaches a value that will cause an following:
excessive or dangerous temperature rise in
conductors.
• Most overcurrent protection devices respon • The Wiring
d to both, short-circuit or ground-fault
current values as well as overload • The Transformer
conditions. • The lights
• Appliances and other equipment

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 Fuse,
Breaker
and Panel
Board
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Circuit Breaker vs Fuse
Circuit Breaker over Fuse Fuse over Circuit Breaker
• Also acts as a switch • Reliability and Stability. The
• Trips off automatically; after fuse can stay on its position
correcting the fault, it is for years.
readily available. • Cheaper the circuit breakers.
• Multiple poles, will protect • Low maintenance compared to
multiple lines simultaneously. circuit breakers.
• Easier to detect, unlike busted
fuse.
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Panel Board Installation
Principles:
• The approach shall be accessible and more
convenient.
• Centrally located to shorten the home
wiring runs.
• Installed near the load center. (near
Kitchen, and the Laundry, where heavy duty
loads are expected.)
• Ideally, NO circuit/wiring connection shall
exceed 35 meters long to limit voltage drop.
• If this cant be avoided, use No. 10 AWG wire
for runs of up to 50 m long and No. 8 AWG
wire for longer circuits.
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FUSE – is a device consisting of an alloy
link of wire with a low melting temperature
which is inserted in the circuit, in such a CIRCUIT BREAKERS– is an over-
way, that all current which passes through current protective device designed to
the circuit, must also pass through this function as a switch, or it can be
metal. manually tripped and thus act as a
circuit switch. It breaks a circuit with an
Two Types: automatic tripping device without injury
Cartridge Type and Plug Fuse Type to itself.
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PANELBOARDS – popularly known as “panel” or “electrical panel”, it is simply the box wherein the
protective devises are housed from which the circuits and bus bars terminate.
BREAKER PANEL
FUSE PANEL
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Fuse
A device containing a strip or
wire of fusible metal that melts
under the heat produced by
Service Switch
The main disconnect for the entire
electrical system of a building
excess current thereby
interrupting the circuit
except for any emergency power
systems
Panel
A board on which are mounted
the switches, fuses and circuit
breakers for controlling and
protecting a number of similar
branch circuits installed in a
cabinet and accessible from
the front only. Also called a Circuit Breaker
panelboard.
A switch that automatically interrupts an electric
circuit to prevent excess current from damaging
Bus apparatus in the circuit or from causing a fire. A
A heavy conductor, usually in the form of a circuit breaker may be reclosed and reused without
solid copper bar, used for collecting, carrying replacement of any components. Also called a
and distributing large electric currents. Also breaker.
called a busbar
Grounded Conductor
Any conductor of an electrical system
intentionally connected to a ground
connection
Grounding Electrode
Ground Wire
A conductor, as a metal ground rod,
ground plate or cold-water pipe, firmly
A conductor connecting
electric equipment or a
embedded in the earth to establish a
gorund connection
circuit to a ground
connection. Also called a
grounding conductor
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 EMERGENCY ELECTRIC SUPPLY EMERGENCY POWER EQUIPMENT
SYSTEM

Emergency Systems – provide electric power Battery Equipment – Central storage

and illumination essentially for life safety and batteries are mounted in individual racks
protection of property during an emergency, and always provided with automatic
such as, electricity for exit lighting, elevators, fire charging equipment.
alarm systems, fire pumps and the like.

Engine-Generator Sets – are

Standby Systems – provide power to selected machines intended to produce electricity
loads not directly involved with life safety, such as, and composed of three components: the
water and sewage treatment plants and industrial machine and its housing (if any), fuel
machines for manufacturing processes. storage tank and the exhaust facilities.

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