Electrical Notes
Electrical Notes
Ans : A distribution board (also known as panel board, breaker panel, or electric panel) is a component of an electricity supply system that divides an electrical power feed into
subsidiary circuits, while providing a protective fuse or circuit breaker for each circuit in a common enclosure.
Distribution boards (generally only one in residential premises) usually include the meter(s) and in some cases (notably where the supply utilities impose a TT earthing system and/or tariff
conditions which limit the maximum permitted current consumption) an incoming supply differential circuit-breaker which includes an over current trip. This circuit-breaker is freely accessible
to the consumer.
Ans: LT Panel is an electrical distribution board that receives power from generator or transformer and distributes the same to various electronic devices and distribution boards. Such panels
are used in industries both for internal and external use and, therefore, they are quite rugged to withstand different climatic conditions. Our LT panels are designed to work with low electricity
consumption that makes them cost effective
The switchgear can contain as switching/interrupting device(s): a circuit breaker (c.b.), a switch/fuse combination, a contactor/fuse
combination (for motor switching), for low v oltage (l.v.) assemblies: a switch or breaker in series with a contactor (for motor switching).
Ans : A Residual Current Circuit Breakers is another different class of Circuit Breakers. A Residual Circuit Breaker (RCCB) is essentially a current sensing device used to protect a low voltage circuit in case of a fault. It contains a switch device that switches off
Purpose of RCCB
Residual Current Circuit Breakers are aimed at protecting an individual from the risks of electrical shocks, electrocution and fires that are caused due to faulty wiring or earth faults.
RCCB is particularly useful in situations where there is a sudden earth fault occurring in the circuit.
e.g. A person accidentally comes in contact with an open live wire in the circuit.
In such situation, in absence of an RCCB in the circuit, an earth fault may occur and the person is at the risk of receiving an electrical shock.
However, if the same circuit is protected with RCCB, it will trip the circuit in fraction of a second thus preventing the person from receiving an electrical shock. Therefore, it is a good and safe practice to install RCCB in your electrical circuit.
The underlying fundamental principle behind operation of RCCB is that in ideal situations the current flowing in to the circuit through live (hot) wire should be same as the returning current from the neutral.
In case of an earth fault, the current finds a passage to earth through accidental means (such as accidental contact with an open wire etc.). As a result the returning current from neutral is reduced. This differential in the current is also known as “Residual Current”.
RCCB is designed such way that it continuously senses and compares for difference (residual current value) in current values between the live and neutral wires. Any small change in the current value on account of such event would trigger the RCCB to trip off the circuit.
Types of RCCBs
2 Pole RCCB: It is used in case of a single phase supply that involves only a live and neutral wire. It is as displayed in image below. It contains two ends where the live and neutral wires are connected. A Rotary switch is used to switch the RCCB back to ON or OFF
4 Pole RCCB: It is used in cases of a three phase supply connection involving three phase wires and a neutral. It is as displayed in image below. It consists of two ends where the three phases and neutral wire is connected. Besides this it
Ans: Early earth leakage circuit breakers are voltage detecting devices, which are now switched by current sensing devices (RCD/RCCB). Generally, the current sensing devices termed as RCCB and
voltage detecting devices named as Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker (ELCB). Forty years ago, the first current ECLBs were introduced and about sixty years ago the first voltage ECLB was introduced. For
several years, both the voltage and current operated ELCBs were both referred to as ELCBs due to its simple name to remember. But the applications of these two devices gave growth to the significant
mix-up in the electrical industry.The manufacture of ECLB includes Fuji Electric, Major Tech, Siemens, ABB, Avera T&D, Telemecanique, Camsco, Crabtree, Orion Italia, Terasaki, MEM, and V guard.
What is an Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker (ELCB)
An ECLB is one kind of safety device used for installing an electrical device with high earth impedance to avoid shock. These devices identify small stray voltages of the electrical device on the metal
enclosures and intrude the circuit if a dangerous voltage is identified. The main purpose of Earth leakage circuit breaker (ECLB) is to stop damage to humans & animals due to electric shock.
An ELCB is a specific type of latching relay that has a structure’s incoming mains power associated through its switching contacts so that the circuit breaker detaches the power in an unsafe condition.The
ELCB notices fault currents of human or animal to the earth wire in the connection it guards. If ample voltage seems across the ELCB’s sense coil, it will turn off the power, and remain off until manually
rearrange. A voltage sensing ELCB doesn’t detect fault currents from human or animal to the earth.
The ELCB notices fault currents of human or animal to the earth wire in the connection it guards. If ample voltage seems across the ELCB’s sense coil, it will turn off the power, and remain off until
manually rearrange. A voltage sensing ELCB doesn’t detect fault currents from human or animal to the earth .
Characteristics of ELCB
This circuit breaker connects the phase, earth wire and neutral
The working of this circuit breaker depends on current leakage
MCB is substituting the rewirable switch-fuse units for low power domestic and industrial applications in a very quick manner. In wiring system, the MCB is a blend of all three functions such as protection
of short circuit, overload and switching. Protection of overload by using a bimetallic strip & short circuit protection by used solenoid.
These are obtainable in different pole versions like single, double, triple pole & four poles with neutral poles if necessary. The normal current rating is ranges from 0.5-63 A with a symmetrical short circuit
Characteristics of MCB
Characteristics of MCCB
Ans : An electric wire ferrule (sometimes end terminal) is a metal tube crimped over stranded wire to secure
the strands within a screw terminal.
Q :what is a cable gland ?
Ans : A cable gland (in the U.S. more often known as a cord grip, strain relief,
cable connector or fitting) is a device designed to attach and secure the end of
an electrical cable to the equipment.[1] A cable gland provides strain-relief and
connects by a means suitable for the type and description of cable for which it is
designed—including provision for making electrical connection to the armour or braid
and lead or aluminium sheath of the cable, if any. Cable glands may also be used for
sealing cables passing through bulkheads[2] or gland plates.
Q: what is a thimble?
Ans : Thimbles or Lugs are used to terminate electrical wires or connections in a professional manner, thereby
minimising current leakage and hence avoids overheating or electrical failures due to loose or improperly terminated
connections.
A conduit made from galvanized steel tubing is commonly referred as a rigid conduit. The thickness of a galvanized rigid conduit protects the electrical wiring from being hit and allows it to be threaded.
Galvanized rigid conduits are used by electricians in commercial and industrial applications.
Another example of rigid electrical conduit is the EMT, also known as Electrical Metallic Tubing. An EMT conduit is made of steel; in some cases aluminum is also used, cheaper than a galvanized rigid
conduit and lighter than a GR conduit. EMT is also a very popular material in commercial and industrial buildings because it can be bent to specific radius and directions. During the last couple of years EMT
conduits have become popular in residential construction. Common sizes of EMT include 1/2-inch, 3/4-inch, and 1-inch.
Electrical non-metallic tubing is another example of electrical conduit. A non-metallic conduit is thin-walled corrugated tubing, moisture-resistant and flame retardant. The non-metallic conduit can be bent
by hand and can be easy installed due to its flexible properties. However, fitting used to connect non-metallic tubing are rigid and cannot be bent.
A flexible metallic conduit forms a hollow tube in which electrical wires are passed. It is highly recommended in dry areas. The Flexible Metallic Conduit, also called Greenfield of flex, does not maintain
permanent bend.
A liquid-tight flexible metal conduit is covered by a plastic waterproof coating. Its interior is very similar with the flexible metallic conduit. It is recommended for use in general wiring, wet or damp
locations. It can also be used to direct burial; concrete embedded, and site lighting jobs.
The installation of Rigid Steel Conduit (RSC) is covered by Article 344 of the National Electrical Code® (NEC®). A rigid metallic conduit is made commonly from coated stainless steel or aluminum. The
rigid metallic conduit can be treated to prevent corrosion by applying different coating to the conduit. Rigid steel conduit is the heaviest-weight and thickest wall conduit. Rigid metal conduit is available in
trade sizes ½ through 6. RMC is sold in 10- and 20-foot lengths and has threads on both ends.
Liquid-tight Flexible Nonmetallic Conduit (LNFC) is another term for a number of flame resistant types of non-metallic tubing. This type of tubing is recommended as a raceway for the installation of
approved conductors with a nominal rating of 600 Volts or less for non-hazardous locations. The interiors of this conduit may be corrugated or smooth.
Aluminum Conduits
An aluminum conduit is a rigid conduit commonly used in commercial and industrial applications. Aluminum conduits are used to prevent corrosion and are the preferred conduit used in areas where large
amounts of water and corrosion-prone areas. Aluminum cannot be directly embedded in concrete, since the metal reacts with the alkalis in cement. Aluminum conduits may be protected with additional
PVC Conduits
PVC is the lightest conduit material and usually the lower cost conduit material. PVC conduits can vary in thickness depending on the uses and where the PVC will be installed. The PVC conduit resist
moisture and corrosion but the tubing is non-conductive an extra grounding conductor must be passed into each conduit. PVC conduit has a higher thermal coefficient of expansion allowing the conduit to
expand and contract. Be aware the installing PVC underground in multiple or parallel run configurations, mutual heating might cause problems on cable performance.
ANS : A raceway (sometimes referred to as a raceway system) is an enclosed conduit that forms a physical pathway for electrical wiring. Raceways protect wires and
cables from heat, humidity, corrosion, water intrusion and general physical threats.
A well-grounded metallic conduit provides RF(radio frequency) shielding that minimizes the risk of trouble with electromagnetic interference (EMI). In some systems, plastic
conduit is sufficient. However, because it offers no electrical grounding or RF shielding, plastic conduit is used mainly to contain coaxial cables or other forms of cable that
Raceways are an important component in the design of complex data centers and blade servers.
It also refers to a channel to run cables through, that mounts on a wall, or a desk, or some other surface, concealing wires or cables so your set-up looks nice and pretty. It's legitimately one of the most useful and versatile
cable management tools for both home users and professionals,
Example No. 1: How many 1/0 AWG THHN conductors can be installed in 2-inch electrical metallic
tubing? (Fig. 2)
(a) 2 conductors
(b) 3 conductors
(c) 4 conductors
(d) 7 conductors
The answer is (d), 7 conductors. You get this answer directly from Table C1 in Annex C.
Example No. 2: How many compact 6 AWG XHHW conductors can be installed in 1.25-inch
electrical nonmetallic tubing?
(a) 10 conductors
(b) 6 conductors
(c) 16 conductors
(d) 13 conductors
The answer is (a), 10 conductors. This answer comes directly from Table C2A in Annex C.
Example No. 3: How many 18 AWG TFFN fixture wires can be installed in 0.75-inch liquidtight
flexible metallic conduit?
(a) 40 conductors
(b) 26 conductors
(c) 30 conductors
(d) 39 conductors
The answer is (d), 39. This answer comes directly from Table C7 in Annex C.
When the conductors to be installed aren't the same size and/or they don't have the same insulation
type, use these steps to properly size the raceway.
Step 2: Determine the total cross-sectional area for all of the conductors.
60% for raceways 24 inches or less in length (i.e. nipples) [Note 4, Table 1]
Let's take a look at another example calculation to help clarify this procedure.
Example No. 4: Feeder conductors are installed in Schedule 40 rigid nonmetallic conduit. The
raceway is more than 200 feet long, and it contains three 500 kcmil THHN conductors, one 250 kcmil
THHN conductor, and one 3 AWG THHN conductor. What size RNC raceway is required for these
conductors?
(a) 2 inches
(b) 2.5 inches
(c) 3 inches
(d) 3.5 inches
Step 1: Determine the cross-sectional area of each conductor by referring to Table 5, Chapter 9.
Step 3: Size the RNC raceway at 40% fill per Table 4 of Chapter 9.
The raceway conductor fill limitations contained in 300.17 apply to the following signaling systems:
Except for optical fiber cable, the NEC prohibits the mixing of technology cables with power, Class 1,
or nonpower-limited fire alarm circuit conductors in the same raceway.
Use the actual diameter of the cable to determine the area for raceway fill [Chapter 9, Table 1, Note 5].
The formula for determining the area is:
Area=3.14×(0.5×diameter) 2
A multiconductor cable is considered a single conductor for calculating conduit fill [Chapter 9, Table
1, Note 9].
Let's work through another example to make sure you understand the calculations involved.
Example No. 5: What size electrical metallic tubing is required for two nonconductive optical fiber
cables having a diameter of 0.25 inch and eight 12 AWG THHN power conductors?
(a) 0.5 inch
(b) 0.75 inch
(c) 1 inch
(d) 1.25 inches
Area=3.14×(0.5×diameter) 2
Step 3: Size the EMT raceway at 40% fill, per Table 4, Chapter 9 of the NEC.
The following technology cables aren't required by the NEC to be installed in a raceway:
However, if any of these cables are installed in a raceway, they should be installed in accordance with
the installation recommendations contained in the BICSI Cabling Installation Manual. This
installation guideline recommends that raceway runs be limited to 100 feet, have no more than two
90° bends, and have a maximum pull force of 25 pounds for Cat. 5 cable, and have a maximum pull
force of 100 pounds for optical fiber cable.
Since most installers have no idea how to limit the pulling tension on signal or communication cables,
the generally accepted practice is to size the raceway so that the cables don't exceed the percentage fill
listed in Table 1, Chapter 9 of the NEC.
Example No. 6: What size electrical metallic tubing is required for four Cat. 5 plenum cables
(diameter 0.167 inch) three 12-strand nonconductive optical fiber cables (diameter 0.250 inch),
two 24-strand nonconductive optical fiber cables (diameter 0.438 inch) (Fig.3)?
Step 3: Size the EMT raceway at 40% fill per Table 4, Chapter 9.
A 1.25-inch EMT=0.5980 sq. in. Therefore, the correct answer is (d), 1.25 inches.
Note 9 of Table 1 in Chapter 9 states that for cables having an elliptical cross section, the area
calculation shall be based on the major diameter of the ellipse.
Example No. 7: What size electrical nonmetallic tubing is required for one hybrid fiber/data
cable? The minor diameter of the ellipse is 0.188 inch and the major diameter of the ellipse as a
circle diameter is 0.5 inch (Fig. 4).
(a) 0.5 inch
(b) 0.75 inch
(c) 1 inch
(d) 1.25 inches
Step 1: Determine the cross-sectional area of the cable, based on the major diameter of the ellipse as a
circle diameter.
Step 3: Size the ENT at 53% fill (one conductor fill), per Table 4, Chapter 9.
1. Tower server.
2. Rack server.
3. Blade server.
Operation of fire sprinkler
Standard spray sprinkler head with a blue bulb indicating a high release temperature
Each closed-head sprinkler is held closed by either a heat-sensitive glass bulb (see below) or a two-part metal link held together with a fusible
alloy such as Wood's metal[12] and other alloys with similar compositions.[13] The glass bulb or link applies pressure to a pipe cap which acts as a
plug which prevents water from flowing until the ambient temperature around the sprinkler reaches the design activation temperature of the
individual sprinkler. Because each sprinkler activates independently when the predetermined heat level is reached, the number of sprinklers that
operate is limited to only those near the fire, thereby maximizing the available water pressure over the point of fire origin.
The liquid in the glass bulb is color coded to its show temperature rating.
The bulb breaks as a result of the thermal expansion of the liquid inside the bulb.[14] The time it takes before a bulb breaks is dependent on the
temperature. Below the design temperature, it does not break, and above the design temperature, it breaks, taking less time to break as temperature
increases above the design threshold. The response time is expressed as a response time index (RTI), which typically has values between 35 and
250 m½s½, where a low value indicates a fast response.[15] Under standard testing procedures (135 °C air at a velocity of 2.5 m/s), a 68 °C sprinkler bulb
will break within 7 to 33 seconds, depending on the RTI.[16] The RTI can also be specified in imperial units, where 1 ft½s½ is equivalent to 0.55 m½s½. The
sensitivity of a sprinkler can be negatively affected if the thermal element has been painted.
Maximum Ceiling Temperature Temperature Rating Temperature Classification Color Code (with Fusible Link) Liquid Alcohol in Glass Bulb Color
100 °F / 38 °C 135-170 °F / 57-77 °C Ordinary Uncolored or Black Orange (135 °F / 57 °C) or Red (155 °F / 68 °C)
150 °F / 66 °C 175-225 °F / 79-107 °C Intermediate White Yellow (175 °F / 79 °C) or Green (200 °F / 93 °C)
From Table 6.2.5.1 NFPA13 2007 Edition indicates the maximum ceiling temperature, nominal operating temperature of the sprinkler, color of the bulb or link and the temperature
classification.