Module 5

Building Electrical
Design Principles
 Electrical Codes,
Licenses and Permits
• Electrical Code
• Design of an electrical system involves applying the
standards written into the building code. An electrical
code specifies the minimum provisions necessary for
protecting people and property from the improper use of
electricity and electrical equipment. It applies to both the
manufacture and installation of electrical equipment.
 Electrical Codes,
Licenses and Permits
• Philippine Electrical Code (PEC)
The Philippine Electrical Code is used nationally as the
basis for safeguarding persons, buildings and its
contents from hazards that may arise from the use of
electricity. This Code contains provisions which is
necessary for safety and thus is used as basis for the
legal enforcement in the installation of electrical system
design in the country
 Electrical Codes,
Licenses and Permits
• Licensing
Most municipalities have ordinances (local laws) that
require that any person who wishes to engage in the
business of installing electrical systems must be
licensed (usually by the state or province).
• Permits
Most municipalities require that a permit be issued
before any electrical installations may be made on a
project.
 Electrical Construction Drawings
• Electrical construction drawings show the layout and design
of an electrical installation.
• The following construction drawings and details are
generally required:
1. Complete plans and specifications of all electrical work
2. Labeling criteria of all electrical equipment
3. Lighting floor plan(s) including electrical circuits indicating
conduit and wiring sizes
4. Power floor plans including electrical circuits indicating
conduit and wiring sizes, equipment, and disconnect switches
5. Exit sign/means of egress lighting location and power supply
6. Panelboard schedule
7. Lighting fixture schedule
8. Symbol schedule and diagrams
Review of the Design Requirements
• Location Plan
The location plan will guide the electrical design
engineers, inspectors from the office of the local building
official, inspectors from the local electric utility, prospective
bidders, and other persons who have interests in the
project.
• Electrical Layout
The electrical layout is similar to the architectural layout
except that the electrical layout contains the interconnection
of the service drop/lateral, service entrance, service
equipment, feeder, subfeeder, load center, panelboards,
branch circuit, and nomenclature of occupancies.
Location Map/Vicinity Map
Floor Plan
Lighting Layout
Power Layout
Review of the Design Requirements
• Legend or Symbol
These help in understanding the electrical plan. The
recommended symbols are shown in Appendix A of the
Philippine Electrical Code Part 1 2009. However, other symbols
can be used, especially the local symbols which are easily
understood in the area.
Legends and Symbols
Legends and Symbols
Review of the Design Requirements
• General Notes and/or Specifications
These are general requirements showing the following:
a. Nature of electrical service, including number of phases,
number of wires, voltage and frequency.
b. Type of wiring
c. Special equipment to be installed, including rating and
classification of services or duty cycle.
d. Methods of grounding
e. Type and rating of main disconnecting means,
overcurrent protection, and branch circuit wiring
f. Clearance and mounting height of service equipment,
electric meter, panel board and devices.
General Notes and Specifications
General Notes and Specifications
 General Notes/Specifications
A. All electrical works shall be done in accordance with the Philippine
Electrical Code Part 1, latest edition, the requirements of the
municipality of Marilao and the Manila Electric Company.
B. The electrical works shall be done by a Registered Master
Electrician (RME) or Registered Electrical Engineer (REE) or
Professional Electrical Engineer (PEE) or skilled electrical
practitioner but under the supervision of RME, REE, PEE.
C. Materials, devices and equipment shall be new and shall be in
conformance with the Philippine Standards or listed by an
organization which is acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction.
D. The electrical service shall be 230V, line to ground, single phase.
E. The service equipment and all other equipment shall be provided
with adequate and proper grounding.
 General Notes/Specifications
F. Conductors and conduits shall be as indicated in the
computation load schedule, or single line diagram.
G. All wiring shall be in PVC conduit and shall be embedded when
running thru concrete except when otherwise noted.
H. Service entrance conduit, from the service head to the electric
meter, shall be exposed galvanized rigid steel conduit.
I. All wiring devices shall be flush mounted and grounding type.
J. Mounting height of convenience outlets shall be 30cm from the
floor level.
K. Layout dimension are approximate and intended as installation
guides only.
L. All inconsistencies shall be brought to the attention of the PEE
who signed and sealed the drawings, computations, load
schedule, specifications, and other documents.
 Review of the Design Requirements
• Schedule of Loads.
This is a load tabulation which indicates the following:
a. Branch circuit for each load or combination of loads
b. Rating of each load and the corresponding computations
c. Source of electric power and rating of service equipment protective
device and disconnect
d. Number of phases, type and the size of wiring
e. Service entrance, feeder, subfeeder, etc.

• Single Line or Riser Diagram

This shows a comprehensive interconnection, size, and rating of the
service drop/lateral, service entrance, service equipment, feeder,
subfeeders, load centers, and panelboard. This is necessary in the
computation of short circuit current and voltage drops.
Schedule of Loads
Riser Diagram
Meralco Service Entrance Design
Review of the Design Requirements
Title Block
This is a standard strip of 40 mm height at the bottom of the
sheet and contains the following:
a. Name and location of installation or project
b. Name, signature and address of owner/manager/operator
c. Name, signature and seal of Professional Electrical
Engineer together with his PRC license number and
validity, Professional Tax Receipt Number and Tax
Identification Number
d. Sheet contents
e. Scale
f. Drawing and sheet number
g. Others. The complete requirements are shown in Article 1.3
of PEC 1 2009
Review of the Design Requirements
• Design Analysis
This is a computation or selection of the following:
a. Size/type/number of wires and size/type of conduits for
branch circuits, sub-feeders, feeders, busways and service
entrance
b. Type, rating and trip setting of overload protective devices
c. Short circuit current and interrupting capacity of overcurrent
protection device.
 Electrical Design of a Single Storey, and Single
Occupancy Residential Building

General
• Although the electrical design of a low-rise residential
building is already a project design subject in most
colleges, it is discussed here because the design
processes, criteria, methods, requirements of the owners,
architect, electric utility, and others are almost similar to the
electrical design of a high-rise condominium building.
Design Processes
• In most cases, the electrical design starts from an
architectural layout and other drawings, such as the
drawing shown in Figure 1.
 Lighting, Power and Service
Equipment Layout
 Detailed Design
• Preparations
With the architectural layout and other drawings, the
development of the initial electrical design starts. A
preliminary arrangement of the electrical plan requirements
helps in the determination of the number of drawing sets to
be prepared to avoid overcrowding in the electrical plan.
Considering the size of this building, the entire electrical
plan requirements can be accommodated in two (2) sets of
size 500 mm x 760 mm sheets, without overcrowding the
electrical plan.
 Lighting, Power and Service
Equipment Layout
 Design Example

• A single family dwelling unit has a floor

area of 150 sq. m. exclusive of unoccupied
basement and open porches. It has three
20 A small appliance branch circuits, one
20 A laundry circuit, a 10 kW electric
range, a 5 kW clothes dryer and two 3/4
HP and one 1.5 HP air conditioning units.
 Branch Circuits
• Branch Circuit No. 1: Lighting loads
• Branch Circuit No. 2: Small Appliance Loads
• Branch Circuit No. 3: Small Appliance Loads
• Branch Circuit No. 4: Small Appliance Loads
• Branch Circuit No. 5: Laundry Loads
• Branch Circuit No. 6: 10 kW Electric Range
• Branch Circuit No. 7: 5 kW Clothes Dryer
• Branch Circuit No. 8: 3/4 HP Air-Conditioning Unit
• Branch Circuit No. 9: 3/4 HP Air-Conditioning Unit
• Branch Circuit No. 10: 1.5 HP Air-Conditioning Unit
 Computation of Loads for a
Typical Residential Unit
A. General Lighting Load and Convenience Receptacle
(Branch Circuit No. 1)
Typical Residential Unit at 150 sq. m.
Load = 150 sq m x 24 VA/sq. m = 3,600 volt-amperes
Load Current = 3,600/230 = 15.65 Amperes

➢ Use 2 – 2.00 mm², copper TW, branch circuit conductors.

Refer to Table 3.10.1.16 for ampacities of insulated
conductors.
➢ Use 15 mm diameter rigid PVC conduit. Refer to Table C10
for size of conduit.
➢ Provide one (1) 20 A branch circuit. Refer to section 2.40.1.6
for standard ampere trip ratings of circuit breakers.
 Computation of Loads for a
Typical Residential Unit

B. Small Appliance Load (Branch Circuit Nos. 2 – 4)

Load = 20 A @ 1,500 volt-amperes = 1,500 volt-amperes
Where 1,500 volt-amperes as per Section 2.20.3.13(a)
Load current = 1,500/230 = 6.52 amperes

➢ Use 2 – 2.00 mm² copper, TW branch circuit conductors.

Refer to Table 3.10.1.16 for ampacity of the conductor.
➢ Use 15 mm dia. Rigid PVC conduit.
➢ Provide three(3) 20 A small appliance branch circuit as per
Section 2.10.1.11(c)(1) or Section 2.10.3.3(b)(1).
 Computation of Loads for a
Typical Residential Unit
C. Laundry Circuit (Branch Circuit No. 5)
Load = 20 A at 1,500 volt-amperes = 1,500 volt-amperes
Where 1,500 volt-amperes as per section 2.20.3.13(b)
Load Current = 1,500 VA/230 = 6.52 amperes

➢ Use 2 – 2.00 mm² copper, TW, branch circuit conductors

➢ Use 15 mm diameter rigid PVC conduit
➢ Use one (1) 20 A branch circuit as per section
2.10.1.11(c)(2)
 Computation of Loads for a
Typical Residential Unit
D. 10 kW Electric Range Load (Branch Circuit No. 6)
Maximum Demand is 8 kW
Based on Table 2.30.3.16 (Column C)
Load Current = 8,000/230 = 34.78 amperes

➢ Use 2 – 8.0 mm² copper, TW, branch circuit conductors

➢ Use 15 mm diameter rigid PVC conduit
➢ Use one (1) 35 A branch circuit. Refer to section 2.40.1.6 for
standard ampere trip ratings of circuit breakers.
 Computation of Loads for a
Typical Residential Unit
E. 5 kW Clothes Dryer Load (Branch Circuit No. 7)
Load = 5 kW x 100% demand factor = 5,000 volt-amperes
The 100% demand factor is per Table 2.20.3.15
Load Current = 5,000/230 = 21.73 amperes

➢ Use 2 – 3.50 mm² copper, TW, branch circuit conductors

➢ Use 15 mm diameter rigid PVC conduit
➢ Use one (1) 25 A branch circuit. Refer to section 2.40.1.6 for
standard ampere trip ratings of circuit breakers.
 Computation of Loads for a
Typical Residential Unit
F. 3/4 HP Air-Conditioning Unit (Branch Circuit Nos. 8 and 9)

Ampacity of wire = 125% x 6.9 A = 8.63 A

Where 125% is per Article 4.40.4.2
Where 6.9 A is the motor full-load current as per Table 4.30.14.2
➢ Use 2 - 2.0 mm2 copper, TW branch circuit conductors
➢ Use 15 mm diameter rigid PVC conduit

Rating of branch circuit protective device = 250% x 6.9 A = 17.25 A

Where 250% is the maximum inverse time rating of the breaker as per
Table 4.30.4.2. The room ACU is at 100% demand factor. Refer to Section
2.20.4.3(c)(1).
➢ Provide two(2) 20 A branch circuit for the room air-conditioner. Refer to
Section 2.40.1.6 for ampere trip ratings of circuit breakers.
 Computation of Loads for a
Typical Residential Unit
G. 1.5 HP Air-Conditioning Unit (Branch Circuit No. 10)

Ampacity of wire = 125% x 10 A = 12.50 A

Where: 125% is per Article 4.40.4.2
Where: 10 A is the motor full-load current as per Table 4.30.14.2
➢ Use 2 - 2.0 mm2 copper, TW branch circuit conductors
➢ Use 15 mm diameter rigid PVC conduit

Rating of branch circuit protective device = 250% x 10 A = 25 A

Where 250% is the maximum inverse time rating of the breaker as per
Table 4.30.4.2. The room ACU is at 100% demand factor. Refer to Section
2.20.4.3(c)(1).
➢ Provide one(1) 30 A branch circuit for the room air-conditioner. Refer
to Section 2.40.1.6 for ampere trip ratings of circuit breakers.
Design Load Computations
General Lighting Load and General Use 3,600 VA
Receptacle:
Small Appliance Load: 4,500 VA
Laundry Circuit Load 1500 VA
Clothes Dryer 1,500 VA
5 kW Clothes Dryer 5,000 VA
Range Load: 5,000 VA
Air Conditioning Units [(6.9 + 6.9 + 10) x 230 = 7,889 VA
Total 28,989 VA

Service Entrance Conductors:

Total Computed Current = 28,989/230 = 126.04 A
Use two 50 mm^2 THW copper wire
Use one 300AT circuit breaker
Riser Diagram