Basic Electrical Symbols

Ground or Earth
A ground symbol (IEC symbol
5017) identifies a ground terminal.
It can be used for a zero potential
reference point from where
current is measured. It is also for
electrical shock protection. There
are a few different ground
symbols. The one we're showing
here is "Earth", but there's also a
Chassis and Digital/Common
ground with slight variations to
this symbol.
 Why is grounding/earthing important?
It protects your appliances,
your home and everyone in
it from surges in electricity.
If lightning was to strike or
the power was to surge at
your place for whatever
reason, this produces
dangerously high voltages
of electricity in your system.
Resistor
A resistor reduces current flow.
In a schematic, this is represented
with a few zig zag squiggles. We're
showing the US/Japan version of
this symbol (IEEE). The UK uses a
simple box over a straight line
(IEC). There are also symbols for
variable and adjustable resistors as
well as thermal and preset
resistors.

• used to resist the flow of current

Switch
Disconnects the current
when open. We're showing a
simple SPST (single-pole
single-throw) toggle switch,
but there are variations for
SPDT, pushbutton, dip, relay,
and more. For a complete list
of switch symbols, check out
SmartDraw's electrical
symbol library.
Capacitor
A capacitor symbol shows two
terminals running into plates. The
curved plate indicates that the
capacitor is polarized. The curved
side has lower voltage. A small plus
sign can be added to the straight
side indicated the positive pin.

• used to filter the voltage ripples

• two categories polarized and non-

polarized
Fuse
A fuse protects electrical
circuits by stopping the flow
of current when the intensity
of current exceed a set value.
It does this by melting a
special wire.
Antenna
Marks a device, rod, or
wire designed to capture
radio and electromagnetic
waves into electrical signals
and vice versa.
Inductor
An inductor is also called a
coil or reactor. The coils store
energy in a magnetic field or
flux. An inductor symbol
looks like a series of looped
coils.
Transformer
A transformer is two or
more coils coupled by
magnetic induction. It helps
keep the frequency and
reduce tension in an AC
circuit.
Motor
A motor is a device that
can transform electric energy
into mechanical energy.
Source
Represents the power source
for your electronics. This
symbol represent a direct
current (DC). To represent AC
(alternating current), you'd
replace the plus and minus
sign with a wave.
Battery
Batteries are represented on
a schematic with a pair of
disproportionate, parallel
lines. The number of lines
indicates the number of
series cells in the battery.
Diode
A diode only allows current to flow in
one direction. It's always polarized with
an anode (A, positive) and cathode side
(C, negative).

• Used to conver AC voltage to DC

Diode (LED)
A diode LED is a
standard diode
symbol with two
small arrows
showing the
emission of light.
 Diode?
The most common function of a diode is to
allow an electric current to pass in one direction
(called the diode's forward direction), while
blocking it in the opposite direction (the reverse
direction).