CHAPTOR TWO
Electrical wiring
circuits
Distribution of Electrical Energy
Electrical energy is supplied to a building by a supply authority.
The supply is provided by a cable brought from outside into a
suitable point in the building, which is referred to as the main intake,
and from this the electrical energy has to be distributed to all outlets
which use it.
The incoming cable may be a 120 or 150 mm2 paper insulated cable
and the current flowing along it must be divided between a number of
smaller cables to be taken to the various final destinations throughout
the building.
This division is the function of the distributing system
There are two methods of distribution of
electrical energy beyond energy meter in the domestic
and power installation.
Distribution board system
The tree system
Distribution Board System:
This method is a common system adopted by consumers
of domestic installations.
The fuses of various sub-circuits are grouped together at
a place close to main switch known as distribution board.
The sub-distribution boards are employed near the load
center if the building is large.
The cable feeding the sub-distribution board should be large
enough
The sub-distribution board installed near the load center is
mainly to save cable and to prevent too great voltage drop.
The number of circuits and sub-circuits are decided on the
basis of number of points and load to be connected to the
supply.
The Tree System:
In this system, smaller branches are taken from the main
branch.
A fuse is inserted at the commencement of each branch.
It has the following disadvantages:
Voltage across all the lamps doesn't remain the same.
A number of joints are involved in every circuit.
The fuses are not at one place.
Fault location is difficult.
Wiring systems
The most commonly employed wiring systems are:-
Cleat wiring system
Catenaries wiring system
Conduit wiring system
Truncking wiring system
Cleat wiring system
The system doesn't give any protection against mechanical
damage and so it is useful only for dry situations and
where the cables remain inaccessible.
The most frequently used cables are sheathed cables and all
insulated cables.
Catenaries wiring System
These systems are designed to take supplies from one
building to another by overhead means, or else for
building with high ceilings.
In this system, insulated cables are carried on a steel wire
strained between two points.
Conduit wiring system
This system of wiring provides protection against fire, mechanical damage
and dampness.
It is used for:-
Places where considerable dust is present , such as in textile mills, saw mills,
flour mills etc,
Damp situations
In workshops for lighting and motor wiring
Places where there is possibility of fire hazards such as oil mills varnish
factories, etc.
Places where important documents are kept.
Places where appearance is prime importance.
Trunking
rectangular in shape with a removable lid which allows
the conductors to be laid instead of drawn in as is the
case with conduit. It is used where a large number of
conductors are to be carried, or follow the same route.
Both steel and PVC Trunking are available, with a wide
range of such accessories as bends, tees, risers and
reducers.
Choice of wiring system
In deciding the type of wiring system for a particular
installation, the following basic factors have to be taken in to
consideration.
Safety
Mechanical protection
Permanency
Appearance
Accessibility
Cost
Drawing representation of electrical circuits
The diagrams used in electrical engineering are classified
according to the purpose and the method of representation.
A ) Wiring Diagram
B) Schematic Diagram
Wiring Diagram
Shows the connection of an installation or part of an
installation
Shows how the connections are actually made and gives
the lay out of the wiring
intended to guide the execution and checking of the
internal and external or both connections of an installation
or part of the installation.
Schematic Diagram
This is an explanatory diagram for easy understanding of
operation of an electric circuit.
It is drawn in a straight line in order that it may easily be
followed
Simple and clear understanding of the system
Examples 1 of Wiring Diagram
2. Two lights controlled by two individual switches and
one fan controlled by one switch and a fun regulator.
Examples 1. of Schematic Diagram
example 2
wiring diagram can also be represented by Single Line Diagram:
Fire alarm open circuit
Fire alarm closed circuit
Methods of Wiring
There are two methods by which connections to
various electrical points are given:
Junction box (Joint box) method
Loop in method
Junction box method
In this system the length of wire required may be
less but extra cost of joint boxes.
The other disadvantage, fault location may be
difficult and as such, all joint boxes have to be
inspected to locate the fault.
The fixing of joint box may require skill
Loop-in method
Most commonly employed for domestic installations
In this system when a connection is required for a
lamp through switch, the feeding conductor is looped
- in by ringing it direct to the terminal of the switch
and then carrying it forward again to the next switch.
The phase wire is looped-in from one switch to the
other
neutral are looped - in from one point to another.
Advantages
No junction boxes are required
joints are made only at outlets and switch boards.
The connections are accessible for inspection and hence
fault location is easy.
Disadvantage
The cable required is more and hence voltage drop and
copper losses are comparatively more.
Jointing and terminations of wires
Jointing
Whenever a conductor is to be joined to another
conductor, or to accessories, or to bus-bars; a safe and
effective termination or joint must be made.
There are many different ways of joining two
conductors together.
• Here we will discuss some of the more popular methods.
The screw connector
Junction box:
Soldered joints:
Terminations
When a cable conductor is finally connected to
the apparatus it is supplying, a safe and effective
termination of that conductor must be made.
PVC singles into screw terminals
Lug terminations - Lug terminations are frequently
used for connecting a conductor to a bus-bar.
Termination into appliances Usually termination of cable
into appliances, especially the portable type, should be
firmly connected at or near the point of entry.
Thank You!
Questions ?
