Module 2

Building Electrical
Materials and Equipment

Engr. Gerard Ang

School of EECE
 Power Generation
and Transmission
• Power Station – it is an industrial facility that houses the
prime mover, electric generator and auxiliaries for conversion
of mechanical energy, chemical energy and/or nuclear energy
into electrical energy. It is a facility or system for the
generation of electric power.
 Building Electrical
Service Equipment
Building electrical service equipment includes the
following:
• Service Entrance Conductors
• Service Entrance
• Switchboards
• Panelboards
• Building Transformer
 Service Entrance Conductors
• Service Entrance Conductors –
conductors that carry power from the
transformer through a metering device
to the building’s service disconnects.
These may be overhead or
underground.
• Service drop – overhead wires extend
from a pole-mounted distribution
transformer to the building’s service
entrance. Overhead service entrance
conductors extending from pole-
mounted transformers
• Service Lateral – underground
(buried) service entrance conductors.
 Service Entrance

• Service Entrance – it includes the components that connect the

utility-supplied wiring (the service lateral or service drop) to the
service disconnect, excluding the utility’s metering equipment.
• Service Entrance Equipment – receives the service entrance
conductors. The service equipment includes a method of
measuring power (metering equipment), a method of cutting off
power (main disconnect or switch gear), and overcurrent
protection devices (circuit breakers or fuses) that protect the
service entrance conductors.
• Service Disconnect – it is a required part of the service
entrance equipment that allows electrical service from the utility
company to be switched off so that power is disconnected to the
building installation. It is a set of fuses or a circuit breaker that
protects the service entrance conductors.
 Switchboards and Panelboards
• Switchboard – it is a large cabinet or assembly of metal
cabinets in which is connected disconnecting switches,
overcorrect protection devices (fuses or circuit breakers),
other protective devices, and instruments designed to divide
large amounts of electrical current into smaller amounts of
current used by electrical equipment.
• Panelboard – it is one or more metal cabinets that serve as a
single unit, including buses, automatic overcurrent protection
devices (fuses or circuit breakers). It is equipped with or
without switches for the control of light, heat, and power
circuits.
Switchboards and Panelboards
 Building Transformers

• Transformers – are used in transmitting and distributing

power from the power plant to a substation. The operation of a
large commercial installation depends on power distribution
that, in turn, depends on transformers used to change
voltage, current, and phase of electrical power nearby and
within a building.
• Building transformers are rated in kVA. Typical sizes used in
buildings include 3, 6, 9, 15, 25, 30, 37.5, 45, 50, 75, 112.5,
150, 225, 300, 500, 750, 1000, 1500 kVA, and larger.
• A step-down transformer steps down the voltage applied to it.
A step-up transformer is steps up the voltage applied to it.
Step-down transformers are typically used in buildings to
reduce building system voltages to useable levels.
 Overcurrent Protection

• Overcurrent protection (OCP) devices – they safeguard the

building service or an individual circuit from excessive current
flows. It protects the circuit components from severe overheating
when current flowing through the circuit reaches an amperage
that will cause an excessive or dangerous temperature rise in
conductors.
• Fuses and circuit breakers serve as automatic overcurrent
protection devices. They are designed to open a circuit if the
amount of current, in amps, that flows through the circuit
exceeds the OCP device rating.
 Circuit Breakers
Circuit Breaker – it is a device
designed to open (or trip) and close Circuit Symbol
a circuit by non-automatic means
and to open the circuit automatically
on a predetermined overcurrent
without damage to itself when
properly applied within its rating.
 Fuses
Fuse – it is an overcurrent Circuit Symbols

protective device with a circuit-

opening fusible part that is
heated and severed by the
passage of overcurrent through
it.
 General Classification of Fuses
1. Cartridge Fuse – it is enclosed in
insulating tube.
2. Plug Fuse – it is enclosed in
porcelain or rubber commonly used
in various electrical appliances.
3. Fuse Wire – opened wire of low
melting point commonly used in the
safety power switch.
4. Non-time delay fuse – holds five
times its rating for ¼ to 2 seconds
(not ideal to loads which requires
more than 2 seconds to accelerate).
5. Dual-element time delay fuse –
holds five times the rating for 10
seconds.
 Standard Ampere Ratings of Fuses
and Fixed Trip Circuit Breakers
based on the PEC
• The standard ampere ratings for fuses and inverse
time circuit breakers shall be considered:

• 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 125,
150, 175, 200, 225, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 600,
700, 800, 1000, 1200, 1600, 2000, 2500, 3000, 4000,
5000, and 6000 amperes

• PEC – Philippine Electrical Code

 OCP Device Ratings

OPDs have two current ratings: overcurrent and amperes

interrupting current.
• Overcurrent Rating – is the highest current it can carry
continuously without exceeding a specific temperature limit
(e.g., without overheating).
• Interrupting Capacity – it is the current that a fuse is able to
interrupt without being destroyed or causing an electric arc
with unacceptable duration.
 Utilization Equipment
and Devices
• Utilization equipment – it is a broad category of electrical or
electronic machine or instrument designed to perform a
specific mechanical, chemical, heating, or lighting function
through the use of electrical energy.
• Electric Appliance – it an end-use piece of utilization
equipment designed to perform a specific function such as
cooking, cleaning, cooling, or heating.
• Electrical Device – it is a component in an electrical system
that is designed to carry but not use electricity. This includes
components such as switches, receptacles, and relays.
 Outlets, Receptacles and Plugs
• Outlet – it is the location in a branch circuit where electricity is
used. For example, a lighting outlet is the location in a branch
circuit where conductors provide power to a light fixture.
• Receptacle – it is a female connecting device with slotted
contacts. It is installed at an outlet or on equipment, where it
is intended to easily establish an electrical connection with an
inserted plug.
• Plug – it is a male connecting device that has two or more
prongs that are inserted into a receptacle to connect to an
electrical circuit.
 Switches
Switch – it is an electrical component
that can break an electrical circuit,
interrupting the current or diverting it
from one conductor to another.

Switches Symbol Switches Symbol

Single Pole S Three Way/Four- S3W / S4W
Way
Duplex (2 single pole S2 Automatic Door SAD
switch on one switch
plate)
Triplex (3 single pole S3 Key Operated SK
switch on one switch
plate)
Double Pole S2P Master Selector SM
Three-Pole S3P Remote Control SRM
 Switches
Switches Description Symbol

Single
A simple on-off switch: The two terminals are
pole,
SPST either connected together or disconnected
single
from each other. An example is a light switch.
throw

Single A simple changeover switch: C (COM,

pole, Common) is connected to L1 or to L2.
SPDT
double
throw

Double
pole, Equivalent to two SPST switches controlled
DPST
single by a single mechanism
throw
Equivalent to two SPDT switches controlled
Double by a single mechanism.
pole,
DPDT
double
throw
 Switches for Lamp Controls

1. SPST (single pole single throw) switch – used to

control a single or group of lamps from one location.
The switch has only two terminals.
 Switches for Lamp Controls
2. SPDT (single pole double throw) or three way switch – used to
control a single lamp from two different locations. The switch has
three terminals.
 Switches for Lamp Controls
3. Four-way switch – used to control a single lamp from three or
more different locations. The switch has four terminals.

For lamp’s control from three or more locations, there should always be
two 3-way switches and the rest, are 4 way switches.

4 locations – two 3-way switches and two 4-way switches

5 locations – two 3-way switches and three 4-way switches
6 locations – two 3-way switches and four 4-way switches
 Disconnects
Disconnect (Safety Power
Switch) – a mechanical switching
device used to isolate a circuit or
an equipment from the supply side.
It could either be fused or non-fuse
type.

Standard Ratings of Disconnects

in Amperes:
30, 60, 100, 200, 400, 600, 800,
1200, 1400, 1600 and 1800
 Conductors
• Electrical Conductor – it is any material that conducts electrical
current. Electrical conductors are either solid or stranded. Solid
conductors are a single solid length of conductor called a wire.
Stranded conductors consist of smaller wire strands. Conductors
may be insulated or bare.
• Bus bar – it is an electrical conductor (usually copper or
aluminum) that serves as a common connection for two or more
electrical circuits. Buses are typically solid bars used for power
distribution. They are commonly found in panelboards,
switchboards, and other power distribution equipment. Busbars
are either flat strips or hollow tubes.
• Cable – contains more than one conductor bundled together in a
factory assembly of wires. An outer sheathing encases and
protects the conductors, simplifying installation of multiple wiring
 Conductors

• Insulated Conductor – conductor encased within material

of composition or thickness recognized by the PEC as
electrical insulation.
• Covered Conductor – conductor encased within material
of composition or thickness that is not recognized by the
PEC as electrical insulation.
• Bare Conductor – a conductor having no covering or
electrical insulation whatsoever.
• Cable – a stranded conductor or a group of conductors
insulated from one another.
• Raceway – an enclosed channel for holding wires, cables
or busbars.
 Building Wires
Thermoplastic Cables. Single insulated conductor of solid or
stranded bare annealed high conductivity copper, with thermoplastic
lead free insulation of PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) and protected by a
nylon jacket; normally designed to operate up to 600 V.
Conductor Application
and Insulations
 Wire Coding and Identification

Codes printed on the thermoplastic insulation.

Identify the wire as suitable for use in conduit: (a) THHN; (b)
THWN
 Conductor Ampacity

• Conductor’s Ampacity – it is the maximum current it can

carry continuously without exceeding the temperature
limitations of the insulation and sheathing material.
• Ampacity is based on the following:
a. Wire thickness
b. Type of conductor material
c. Insulation and sheathing type
d. Number of conductors bundled in the sheathing
e. Tmperature and exposure of the conductor
Ampacity Table based on the PEC
 Enclosures and Raceways
• Enclosures – are electrical boxes and cabinets made of metal (e.g.,
steel, galvanized steel, aluminum, and so on) or nonmetallic
(plastic) materials that provide protection for conductors,
connections, controls, and other electrical equipment.
• Electrical boxes – are metal and non-metallic (plastic) enclosures
that hold devices such as switches or outlets and safely permit
wiring connections. Boxes are available in four primary shapes:
square, rectangular, octagonal, or round.
• Junction boxes (J-boxes) – are a special type of electrical box
used to enclose conductor connections. Connections are commonly
called junctions in the trade.
• Pull box – is a type of junction box that allows access to a raceway
for snaking conductors through the raceway. Knockouts in most
boxes and other enclosures can be easily removed to allow wiring to
enter the box.
 Conduit and Other Raceways
• Raceway – is an enclosed channel such as a conduit, tube,
or gutter designed for holding wires, cables, or busbars.
• Types of Conduits:
a. Rigid metal conduit
b. Intermediate metal conduit (IMC)
c. Electrical metallic tubing (EMT)
d. Electrical nonmetallic tubing (ENT)
e. Rigid nonmetallic conduit
f. Flexible metal conduit
g. Liquid tight flexible metal conduit
h. Liquid tight flexible nonmetallic conduit
i. Cellular concrete floor raceways
Conduit Sizes based on the PEC
 Busways and Wireways

• Busway – is of a standardized, factory-assembled

enclosure consists of outer duct-like housing, bus bars, and
insulators.
• Wire gutters or wireways – are metal sheet or
nonmetallic, flame-resistant plastic troughs that serve as a
housing that encloses and protects conductors.
 Electric Motors

• In homes, electric motors are found in refrigerators,

freezers, dishwashers, kitchen sink waste disposal,
portable kitchen appliances, exhaust and ventilation fans,
clothes washers and dryers, furnaces, air conditioners, and
paddle fans.
Motor Ratings based on the PEC