Electrical Installations

1
2
3
Wires and cables:
• Copper and aluminium (mostly used)
• To prevent leakage current from conductor and provide mechanical
strength, insulation and sheath is used.
• The selection conductor depends on the following factors:
1. The nature of condition (underground, hanging in air, etc.)
2. The operating voltage
3. The current capacity of installation

4
5
6
7
Introduction
• Switchgear: The apparatus used for switching, controlling and protecting the
electrical circuits and equipment is known as switchgear.

• The term ‘switchgear’ is a generic term encompassing a wide range of products like
circuit breakers, switches, switch fuse units, off-load isolators, HRC fuses, contactors,
earth leakage circuit breaker, etc...

• Classification of Switchgear:
• Switchgear can be classified on the basis of voltage level into the following:
1. Low voltage (LV) Switchgear: upto 1KV
2. Medium voltage (MV) Switchgear: 3 KV to 33 KV
3. High voltage (HV) Switchgear: Above 33 KV

8
• The term LT Switchgear includes low voltage Circuit Breakers,
Switches, off load electrical isolators, HRC fuses, Earth Leakage Circuit
Breaker, Miniature Circuit Breakers (MCB) and Molded Case Circuit
Breakers (MCCB) etc i.e. all the accessories required to protect the LV
system.
• The most common use of LV switchgear is in LV distribution board.

9
FUSE:
• Fuse is perhaps the simplest and cheapest device used for interrupting an electrical circuit under
short circuit, or excessive overload, current magnitudes.
• The action of a fuse is based upon the heating effect of the electric circuit.
• The fuse has inverse time-current characteristics as shown

10
11
Semi-Enclosed rewireable fuse:
• The most commonly used fuse in “house wiring’ and small current
circuits is the semi-enclosed or rewirable fuse (also sometimes
known as kit-kat type fuse).
• It consists of a porcelain base carrying the fixed contacts to which
the incoming and outgoing live or phase wires are connected and
a porcelain fuse carrier holding the fuse element, consisting of one
or more strands of fuse wire, stretched between its terminals.
12
 The fuse wire may be of lead, tinned copper, aluminium or an alloy of tin-lead.
 The actual fusing current will be about twice the rated current.

 The specifications for rewirable fuses are covered by IS: 2086-1963.

 Standard ratings are: 6, 16, 32, 63 and 100A.
 A fuse wire of any rating not exceeding the rating of the fuse may be used in it i.e. a 80A fuse wire can be
used in a 100A fuse, but not in the 63A fuse.

Disadvantages:
 Unreliable operation.
 Lack of discrimination.
 Small time lag.
 Low rupturing capacity.
 No current limiting feature.
 Slow speed of operation.

13
 High-Rupturing Capacity (HRC) Cartridge fuse
• This is a totally enclosed type fuse unit.
• It essentially consists of an insulating container of bulb or tube shape and sealed at its
ends with metallic cap known as cartridge enclosing the fuse element
• filled with powder or granular material known as filler.
• There are various types of materials used as filler like sand, calcium carbonate, quartz etc.
• This type of fuse is available upto 660 V and the current rating upto 800 A.

14
15
16
 Switch Fuse Unit (SFU)
• Switch fuse is a combined unit and is known as an iron clad switch, being made of iron.
• It may be double pole for controlling single phase two-wire circuits or triple pole for
controlling three-phase, 3-wire circuits or triple pole with neutral link for controlling 3-
phase, 4-wire circuits.
• The respective switches are known as double pole iron clad (DPIC), triple pole iron clad
(TPIC), and triple pole with neutral link iron clad (TPNIC) switches.

1. For Two-wire DC Circuits or Single Phase AC Circuits: 240V, 16A, DPIC switch fuse
2. For Three-Wire DC Circuits: 500V, 32A (63/100/150 or higher amperes), TPIC switch fuse.
3. For Three-Phase Balanced Load Circuits: 415V, 32A (63/100/150 or higher amperes), IS
approved TPIC switch fuse.

17
18
Circuit Breakers:
• A circuit breaker is an electrical switch designed to protect an
electrical circuit from damage caused by overcurrent/overload or
short circuit. Its basic function is to interrupt current flow after
protective relays detect a fault.

19
20
 MCB
Miniature Circuit Breaker
In recent days the fuse has been replaced by a much more efficient and small electronic
device known as MCB – Miniature Circuit Breaker.
Handling MCB is relatively safe, and it quickly restores the supply.
MCB can be reset quickly and does not demand more maintenance costs.
Rated current not more than 125 Ampere.
Its interrupting current rating is under 10 KA

21
1. Latch
2. Solenoid
3. Switch
4. Plunger
5. Incoming Terminal
6. Arc Chutes Holder
7. Arc Chutes
8. Dynamic Contact
9. Fixed Contact
10. Din Rail Holder
11. Outgoing Terminal
12. Bi-metallic Strip Carrier
13. Bi-metallic Strip

22
 When the current overflow occurs through MCB – Miniature Circuit Breaker, the bimetallic
strip gets heated and deflects by bending.
 The deflection of the bi-metallic strip releases a latch.
 The latch causes the MCB to turn off by stopping the current flow in the circuit.
 This process helps safeguard the appliances or devices from the hazards of overload or
overcurrent.
 To restart the current flow, MCB must be turned ON manually.

23
24
 Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker
• An Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker (ELCB) helps protect people and equipment from electrical
shocks.
• It detects and stops an electrical current that leaks to earth, meaning the current diverts
from its intended path and flows into the ground.
• ELCBs are found in homes and businesses and are located near the main electrical panel.
• Generally, ELCBs are available in different ratings 16A,32A, 40A, and 63A, and sensitivity like
30mA, 100mA, and 300mA.

Common reasons why earth leakage occurs:

• Insulation failure: Insulation failure can occur due to age, temperature, or physical damage
to the insulation.
• Imperfect electrical connections: Loose or poorly connected electrical joints.
• Poor earthing systems: If the earth connection is not of sufficient quality or resistance, it
can cause current to flow to earth.
• Use of faulty equipment: Faulty electrical equipment, such as a damaged appliance, can
cause earth leakage.
• Human error: Improper installation can cause earth leakage.
25
 • Two types of ELCBs: voltage and current.
 An ELCB continuously measures the voltage difference between power coming from the source
through the hot wire and power returning to the source through the neutral wire.

 It has terminals for both phases & neutral on both supply & load sides.
 It has two extra terminals that connect with the equipment’s body & the earth.
 These terminals are actually connected with the electromagnetic relay & they play a vital role in
breaking the circuit during current leakage.

26
Working Principle
 One of the terminals of the relay coil is directly connected to the earth while the other terminal is connected to
the body of the equipment.
 The coil can sense the voltage difference between the earth & the body of the equipment.
 If the live wire breaks or its insulation fails & comes in contact with the body of the equipment, a voltage
difference appears across the terminals of the coil.
 As a result, the current starts to flow through the coil & it is energized.
 The relay starts to generate electromagnetic force.
 When the current exceeds a certain limit, the relay produces sufficient force to pull the latch.
 By doing so, the latch break opens the contacts & disconnects the power supply to the equipment & prevents
electrical shock.
Advantages
 It helps in protection against electrical shocks.
 They are less sensitive & do not trip unnecessarily.
 They are less expensive.
Disadvantages
• It cannot sense the current leakage from phase to any other earthed body.
• It cannot prevent electrical shock in case of touching the phase conductor directly.
• It only trips when the leakage current flows through the earth conductor.
• It requires an extra connection with the body of the equipment & earth.
• It is less sensitive & cannot detect low leakage current. 27
 MCCB (Molded Case Circuit Breaker)
 It is a type of circuit breaker that protects the circuit from overloading, short circuit and current surges.
 It is an advanced version of miniature circuit breaker MCB since it operates like one.
 However, it offers extra features that make it a superior circuit breaker such as remote closing and
adjustable trip settings i.e. its current settings and time settings can be adjusted according to our needs.
 MCCB is used to protect the low voltage distribution system.
 It is available in rating up to 2500 Amps and 1.1 kV.

An MCCB is made from the following main parts:

 Arc chute
 Contacts
 Operating mechanism
 Terminal Connector
 Thermal Trip Unit
 Magnetic Trip Unit
 Handle / Trip-free Mechanism
 Trip Button
28
29
Advantages
• MCCB has an adjustable trip setting that allows it to be used for low as well as
large currents
• It can handle a very large current.
• It can instantly interrupt very large currents.
• It has a movable trip unit.
• It has a very small tripping time thus fast switching during fault current.
• It also offers a remote ON/OFF feature.
• It has a compact design and takes less space.
Disadvantages
• MCCB is not suitable for high voltage applications.
• They are not suitable for domestic applications.
30
Applications of MCCBs
Since MCCB can handle very high currents, they are used for heavy-duty applications such as
in industries.
• Adjustable Trip Settings: MCCB is superior to MCB and has more application due to its
higher current handling and adjustable trip setting capabilities. It makes it versatile to be
used for high as well as low current settings.
• Motor Protection: MCCB is used in industries to protect large electrical motors from
overloading. It offers adjustable trip settings to tolerate the high inrush current with
necessary delay.
• Welding Machine Protection: Welding machines draw a very large amount of current that
an MCB cannot handle. Therefore, MCCB is used for welding machines.
• Electric Feeders Protection: Due to its adjustable setting and high current handling, it is
used in electric feeders to distribute Power because it carries hundreds of amps that a
normal MCB cannot handle.
• Generator Protection: They are also used for protection of large generator that generates
hundreds of amps.
• Capacitor Bank Protection: Capacitor bank is used for power factor correction. MCCB is
also used for its protection against high currents.

31
 Earthing
• Have you ever experienced a mild shock when you touch certain appliances
while in operating condition?
• Sometimes these shocks can be dangerous and can lead to major hazards.
• To avoid mishappenings, it is always advisable to have a proper earthing
done to the building.
• Earthing is defined as “the process in which the instantaneous discharge
of the electrical energy takes place by transferring charges directly to the
earth through low resistance wire.”
• Low resistance earthing wire is chosen to provide the least resistance path
for leakage of fault current.

32
How is Earthing Done?
• To ensure safety, earthing can be done by connecting the electrical appliance to
earthing systems or electrodes placed near the soil or below the ground level.
• The electrode or earthing mat equipped with a flat iron riser is installed under
the ground level.
• It helps to connect all the non-current-carrying metallic parts of the equipment.
 In homes, there shall be three types of wires, live,
neutral, and earth. There are three types of
earthing, they are:
 Live and neutral carry electric current from the
•Pipe earthing
power station and the earth is connected to the •Plate earthing
buried metal plate. •Strip earthing
 Electric appliances like refrigerators, iron boxes,
and TV are connected to the earth wire while
operating.
 Hence, these devices are protected from the
surge or faulty electrical supply.
 Local earthing is done near the electrical metre of
33
the house.
 Energy Consumption
• Energy consumption is the use of power or energy of a system by making use of
supply.
• The consumption is done in Giga Joule per year, kilograms of oil equivalent per
year (kg/a), and in Watts.
• The energy consumption formula is articulated as,
Where, E is energy in kilowatt-hours (kWh), P is power in Watts, t is hours
Problem 1: Compute the energy consumption in a system that consumes 190
Watts of power and works for 3 hrs a day.
• Answer: 2052 kWh
Problem 2: A toy car consumes energy of 500 Watts of power if it works for 2 hrs a
day using it. Calculate the energy consumption a day.
• Answer: 3600 kWh
34
• The cosine angle between the voltage and current in a AC circuit is called power
factor

35
36
37
38
39
40
 What is a Battery?
• Batteries are a collection of one or more cells whose chemical reactions create a flow of
electrons in a circuit.
• All batteries are made up of three basic components: an anode (the '-' side), a cathode (the
'+' side), and some kind of electrolyte (a substance that chemically reacts with the anode
and cathode).
• Batteries that must be thrown away after use are known as primary batteries
• Batteries that can be recharged are called secondary batteries.

 A primary cell cannot be recharged because the internal chemical reaction cannot be
restored.
Example: ZINC CARBON (1.5V), ALKALINE (1.5V)
 A secondary cell, or storage cell, can be recharged because its chemical reaction is reversible.
Example: LEAD ACID (2.0V), NICKEL - CADMIUM (1.2V), NICKEL - METAL HYDRIDE (1.2V),
LITHIUM – ION (3.3V)

41
Types

42
 Battery characteristics
 Type
 Voltage
 Discharge curve
 Capacity
 Energy density
 Specific energy density
 Power density
 Service life
 Physical requirements
 Charge/discharge cycle
 Cycle life
 Cost
 Ability to deep discharge
 Application requirements
1) Type
• primary and secondary batteries.
2) Voltage
• The theoretical standard cell voltage can be determined from the
electrochemical series using Eo values:
Eo (cathodic) – Eo (anodic) = Eo (cell)
• Typical values of voltage range from 1.2 V for a Ni/Cd battery to 3.7 V
for a Li/ion battery.
3) Discharge Curve
• The discharge curve is a plot of voltage against percentage of capacity
discharged.
• A flat discharge curve is desirable as this means that the voltage
remains constant as the battery is used up.
43
4) Capacity
• The theoretical capacity of a battery is the quantity of electricity involved in the electro-
chemical reaction. It is denoted Q and is given by: Q = xnF
where x = number of moles of reaction, n = number of electrons transferred per mole of reaction
and F = Faraday's constant

• The capacity is usually given in terms of mass, not the number of moles: Q = nF/Mr
where Mr = Molecular Mass.
• This gives the capacity in units of Ampere-hours per gram (Ah/g).

5) Energy density
• The energy density is the energy that can be derived per unit volume of the weight of the cell.

6) Specific energy density

• The specific energy density is the energy that can be derived per unit weight of the cell (or
sometimes per unit weight of the active electrode material).
• It is the product of the specific capacity and the operating voltage in one full discharge cycle.
44
7) Power density
The power density is the power that can be derived per unit weight of the cell (W/kg).

8) Service life
• The battery cycle life for a rechargeable battery is defined as the number of charge/recharge cycles a secondary
battery can perform before its capacity falls to 80% of what it originally was.
• This is typically between 500 and 1200 cycles.

9) Charge/Discharge cycle
There are many aspects of the cycle that need consideration, such as: Voltage necessary to charge, Time necessary to
charge, Availability of charging source, Potential safety hazards during charge/discharge

10) Cycle life

The cycle life of a rechargeable battery is the number of discharge/charge cycles it can undergo before its capacity
falls to 80%.

11) Cost
This includes the initial cost of the battery itself as well as the cost of charging and maintaining the battery.

45