UNIT 5

Electrical Installations
Every building requires electrical power to fulfill their intended functions. Electrical power is
generated in large amounts at a central plant, and is made available to any locations in the
required quantity through a distribution network. With in the building, the electrical power is
to be delivered to a number of electrical gadgets, lights and other appliances. This requires
different types of cables, fittings and other electrical accessories.

Elements of Building Wiring Systems : A wiring system in a building will

have the following elements.
(1) Service conductors (2) Service equipments
(3) Feeders (4) Panel Boards
(5) Branch Circuits

C
B i
r r
Service conductors Service Feeders
a c
Panel
Equipment Boards n u
c i
h t
s
(1) Service Conductors : These conductors connect the service equipment to the
electric utility supply. This supply point may be an over head line at the street or a
manhole in an underground line. In all the countries, there will be an agency
responsible for the distribution of the electricity. The provision of the service
conductors till the energy meter will the responsibility of this agency.
(2) Service Equipments : Service equipment is located near the point of entrance of the
service conductors. This consists of the main control and means of cutoff (isolator)
for the electrical supply to the building. In case of emergency ( like out break of fire )
in the premises, the isolator isolates the power supply to the building and reduces the
damages to the building. The electric meter is often installed as a part of the service
equipment.

Mechanical energy meter Commercial energy meter

An isolator switch is part of an electrical circuit and is most often found in industrial
applications. The switch does exactly what its name suggests in that it electrically
isolates the circuit or circuits that are connected to it. Such a switch is not used
normally as an instrument to turn on/off the circuit in the way that a light switch does.
Either the switch isolates circuits that are continually powered or is a key element
which enables an electrical engineer to safely work on the protected circuit.
(3) Feeders : Conductors between the service equipment and a panel board are called
as feeders. A feeder is a bulk transporter of electrical energy.
(4) Panel Boards : Panel Boards serve as the point of supply for feeders or branch
circuits. Panel board, is a mounting enclosure for multiple electrical circuit breakers.
These are generally placed in two columns. Distribution boards are typically found in
central locations inside buildings and often serve as the point at which electricity is
distributed within a building. Circuit breakers can be used to manually de-energize
electrical circuits when the downstream wiring is being serviced. Feeder Distribution
panel Boards are usually located at the point of service entrance and Branch Circuit
Panel Boards are located as near as possible to the centre of the area served.

Panel Boards
(5) Branch Circuits : The final connection to an electric device is made through a
branch circuit, also called as final circuit. A final circuit may supply a single device
such as cooking range, water heater, a window air conditioner, or it may also serve a
group of devices such as lights, fans, motors etc.

Electrical Wiring : Electrical wiring in general refers to insulated conductors

used to carry electricity, and associated devices. Materials for wiring interior electrical
systems in buildings vary depending on:

 Intended use and amount of power needed of the circuit

 Type of occupancy and size of the building
 National and local regulations
 Environment in which the wiring must operate.
 Wiring systems in a single family home or duplex, for example, are simple, with
relatively low power requirements, infrequent changes to the building structure and
layout, usually with dry, moderate temperature, and noncorrosive environmental
conditions. In a light commercial environment, more frequent wiring changes can be
expected, large apparatus may be installed, and special conditions of heat or moisture
may apply. Heavy industries have more demanding wiring requirements, such as very
large currents and higher voltages, frequent changes of equipment layout, corrosive, or
wet or explosive atmospheres. When loading are only simple lighting and heating, then
a single phase wiring may be used. In this wiring there will be only two wires. This two
wires can be

a. One phase and Neutral , OR

b. Two phases.

The three phase power supply is a type of polyphase system used to power motors and
many other devices. Three phase systems may or may not have a neutral wire. A
neutral wire allows the three phase system to use a higher voltage while still supporting
lower voltage single phase appliances. In high voltage distribution situations it is
common not to have a neutral wire as the loads can simply be connected between
phases (phase-phase connection).

Wiring Devices :
(1) Fuses : The flow of current through conductors or to electrical apparatus must be
restricted to the rated design value of the conductor or the equipment. A fuse is a
device for such a control. It has as its critical component: a metal wire or strip.
When the current in the circuit raises above a particular value, this strip melts,
(the fuse opens) and the current stop flowing in the circuit. The capacity of a fuse
is expressed as ampere (A).
(2) Circuit Breaker : A circuit breaker is an automatically-operated electrical switch
designed to protect an electrical circuit from damage caused by overload or short
circuit. Unlike a fuse, which operates once and then has to be replaced, a circuit
200 A Industrial fuse. 80 kA breaking Circuit breaker

capacity

breaker can be reset (either manually or automatically) to resume normal

operation. Circuit breakers are made in varying sizes, from small devices that
protect an individual household appliance up to large switchgear designed to
protect high voltage circuits feeding an entire city. There are many different
technologies used in circuit breakers and they do not always fall into distinct
categories. Types that are common in domestic, commercial and light industrial
applications at low voltage (less than 1000 V) include:

 MCB (Miniature Circuit Breaker)—rated current not more than 100 A. Trip
characteristics normally not adjustable. Thermal or thermal-magnetic
operation. Breakers illustrated above are in this category.
 MCCB (Moulded Case Circuit Breaker)—rated current up to 1000 A. Thermal
or thermal-magnetic operation. Trip current may be adjustable.

Electric power systems require the breaking of higher currents at higher voltages.
Examples of high-voltage AC circuit breakers are:

 Vacuum circuit breaker—With rated current up to 3000 A, these breakers

interrupt the current by creating and extinguishing the arc in a vacuum
container. These can only be practically applied for voltages up to about
35,000 V, which corresponds roughly to the medium-voltage range of power
 systems. Vacuum circuit breakers tend to have longer life expectancies
between overhaul than do air circuit breakers.
 Air circuit breaker—Rated current up to 10,000 A. Trip characteristics often
fully adjustable including configurable trip thresholds and delays. Usually
electronically controlled, though some models are microprocessor controlled.
Often used for main power distribution in large industrial plant, where the
breakers are arranged in draw-out enclosures for ease of maintenance.
(3) General Use Switches : A general use switch is often referred to as a safety
switch. It is a knife switch enclosed in a steel cabinet with an external operating
handle.
(4) Wall Switches : They are simple switches to operate various electrical gadgets.
A switch may be a single way or multi way. If an electrical gadget is controlled by
one switch only, then that switch is called as one way switch. If two switches
control a gadget, then the switch is a two way switch. Different type of switches
normally used are listed below.

British
Electronics Expansion of
mains Description Symbol
abbreviation abbreviation
wiring name

A simple on-off switch:

The two terminals are
either connected
Single pole,
SPST One way together or not
single throw
connected to anything.
An example is a light
switch.

A simple changeover
Single pole, switch: C (Common) is
SPDT Two way
double throw connected to L1 or to
L2.

Equivalent to SPDT.
Single pole Some suppliers use
changeover SPCO for switches
SPCO or Single with a stable off
pole, centre position in the centre
off and SPDT for those
without.
 Equivalent to two
Double pole, SPST switches
DPST Double pole
single throw controlled by a single
mechanism

Equivalent to two
SPDT switches
controlled by a single
Double pole,
DPDT mechanism: A is
double throw
connected to B and D
to E, or A is connected
to C and D to F.

Equivalent to DPDT.
Double pole Some suppliers use
changeover DPCO for switches
DPCO or Double with a stable off
pole, centre position in the centre
off and DPDT for those
without.

DPDT switch internally

wired for polarity-
reversal applications:
only four rather than
six wires are brought
outside the switch
Intermediate
housing; with the
switch
above, B is connected
to F and C to E; hence
A is connected to B
and D to C, or A is
connected to C and D
to B.

(5) Receptacles (Socket Outlets ) : They are devices located for the ready
attachment of portable electrical appliances and apparatus. Power sockets are
female electrical connectors that have slots or holes which accept the pins or
blades of power plugs inserted into them and deliver electricity to the plugs.
Sockets are usually designed to reject any plug which is not built to the same
electrical standard. These sockets may be switched or un-switched.
 Double SSO
Single Socket Outlet

(6) Conductors : Copper is the most widely used conductor material. Aluminium
conductors are also used. The conductors are insulated and they are
standardized. The different types of insulations are given letter designations as
shown below.

Type Construction Application

R Rubber, plus cotton braid covering, rated In dry locations only
at 1400 F maximum operating
temperature.
RW Moisture resistant rubber plus cotton In wet or dry locations.
braid covering. Rated at 1400 F maximum
operating temperatures
RH Heat insulated rubber plus cotton braid In dry locations only
covering, rated at 167 0 F maximum
operating temperatures
RHW Heat and moisture resistant rubber plus In wet and dry locations.
cotton braid covering. Rated at 1670 F
maximum operating temperatures.
T Poly vinyl plastic with no additional In dry locations only
covering. Rated at 1400 F maximum
operating temperatures.
TW Moisture resistant Poly vinyl plastic with In wet and dry locations.
no additional covering. Rated at 1400 F
maximum operating temperatures.
V Long fiber cotton impregnated with In dry locations.
special insulating varnish. Rated at 1850F
maximum operating temperature
 Two or more conductors, each separately insulated, and grouped together within a
common covering are known as cables. Cables are given letter designations
depending upon conductor insulation and applications, as shown below.

Type Construction Application

AC Rubber insulated conductors inside In dry places only,
flexible steel covering. Commonly known exposed or concealed;
as BX Not to be placed in
masonry below grade.
ACT Poly vinyl insulated conductor inside Same as above.
flexible steel covering.
ACL Rubber insulated conductors with lead For direct burial in earth;
cover, all inside flexible steel armor. embedded in masonry;
exposure to weather,
moisture, oil, gasoline
etc.
NM Rubber or plastic insulated conductors In dry areas only,
covered by paper wrapping and tough exposed or concealed;
braid. Commonly known as known not to be exposed to
metallic. moisture, corrosive
fumes or embedded in
plastic or masonry
NMC Same as above except outer cover is In moist, damp or
corrosion and moisture resistant corrosive locations;
inside tile or masonry
walls; embedded in
plaster if suitably
protected.

The sizes of the conductors are indicated by numbers based upon American Wire
Gauge (AWG). The smaller the number, the larger the conductor. The wire sizes in
AWG are given from No. 18 to No. 4/0
(7) Race ways : Any channel holding wires, cables or bus bars is called raceways.
Different types of raceways are used.
a. Rigid Metal Conduit : This type of conduit has sufficient wall thickness to allow
the use of threaded fittings.
b. Electric Metallic Tubing (EMT) : This conduit has thin walls. Fittings are of the
pressure type. EMT cannot be used where it might be subjected to severe
mechanical injury.
c. Cable tray : A cable tray is "a unit or assembly of units or sections and
associated fittings forming a rigid structural system used to securely fasten or
support cables and raceways." Cable trays are used to hold up and distribute
cables.

Cable tray
d. Trunking : It is a small long cabin or covered channel, indented for carrying
cable through it. A trunking may be made of plastic, Fibre, Mild steel or
Aluminium. The advantage of a cable tray or trunking over a conduit is that, it
is very easy to lay additional cable or conductors through them.
Drawing Symbols for Electrical Installations