Electrical Principles and Wiring Materials

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Electrical Principles and Wiring Materials

• Unti1

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Principles of Electricity

• Electricity is a form of energy that can produce
  light, heat, magnetism, chemical changes
• Resistance tendency of a material to prevent
  electrical flow
• Conductor if electricity flows easily
• Insulator material that provides great resistance

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Amps

• Amperes measure of the rate of flow of
  electricity in a conductor
• EX Check the speed of volt
• Tool Amp Meter

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Volts

• Volts measure of electrical pressure
• Volts Push the current through wires
• Tools Volt Meter

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Watts

• Watts measure of the amount of energy or work
  that can be done
• EX Bigger Wattage More Power
• Diameter of a hose or horse power in engines.
• How electricity is billed out (KWH)
• Volts Amps Watts

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HEATER EXAMPLE

• I have a Marvin Electrical floor heater
• When I run it on HIGH it trips my breaker why?

• I have too many amps for the circuit provided.
• I have a 10 amp breaker in my box and need a 15
  amp breaker.

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Fix Heater Problem?

• Change my wire size
• OR
• Put in Bigger Amp Breaker
• Wire is sized to amperage in circuit

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Ohms

• Ohms measure of electrical resistance to flow
• EX Conductivity of Electricity
• Copper vs. Aluminum or rubber
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conductor_(material)

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Ohms Law

• Formula to not overload a circuit!
• Ohm R
• Volts E
• Amps I
• Ohms Law E IR
• IE/R
• RE/I

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Ohms Law
Example on baord
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Electrical Safety

• Shock and Fire
• Never disconnect any safety device
• Dont touch electrical items with wet hands or
  feet
• Dont remove ground plug prong
• Use GFI in wet areas
• Discontinue use of extension cord that feels warm
• Dont put extension cords under carpet

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Electrical Safety

• Install wiring according to NEC
• Blown fuse or breaker, determine cause
• Dont replace fuse with larger fuse
• Dont leave heat producing appliances unattended
• Heaters lamps away from combustibles
• Dont remove back of TV (30,000v when off)
• Electric motors lubricated, free of grease etc.

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Electrical Safety

• Keep appliances dry
• Dont use damaged switches, outlets, fixtures,
  extension cords
• Follow manufacturers instructions for
  installation and use of electrical equipment

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Service Entrance

• Power from from power company
• Transformer drops volts from 25,000 volts to 240
  volts
• Service drop wires etc from transformer to house
• Entrance head weather-proof at house
• Meter
• Service Entrance Panel (SEP) box with fuses or
  breakers

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Electric Meter

• Kilowatthours how electricity is sold
• Kilo 1000
• Watthour use of 1 watt for one hour
• 100 watt light bulb for 1 hour - 100 watthours
• Kilowatthour 1000 watts for one hour

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1000 Watt Hours 1 Kilowatt 1KW .08 100 watt
lightbulb for 10 hrs 1 KW .08 700 watt
lightbuld for 10 hrs 7 KW .56
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Top Appliance Uses

1. Air Conditioner / Electric Heat
2. Dehumidifier
3. Water Heater
4. Look for Energy Star less to operate!

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Branch Circuits

• usually begin at SEP
• branch out into a variety of places
• only 1 motor or
• series of outlets or
• series of lights
• use correct size wire and fuse or breaker

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Types of Cable

• Nonmetallic sheathed cable copper or alluminum
  wire covered with paper, rubber, or vinyl for
  insulation (House)
• Armored cable flexible metal sheath with
  individual wires inside. Wires are insulated
  (Ind. Bld)
• Conduit tubing with individually insulated wires
  (PVC Pipe)

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Wire Type and Size

• copper
• No 14 (14 gauge) 15 amp circuits
• No 12 20 amps
• No 10 30 amps
• aluminum use one size larger
• lower gauge number larger wire
• No 8 and larger use bundles of wires
• current travels on outer surface of wire, so a
  bundle of smaller wires can carry more

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Voltage Drop

• loss of voltage as it travels along a wire
• lights dim, motors overheat
• larger wires have less voltage drop for a given
  amount of current
• longer wire greater problem
• must increase wire size as distance increases

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Wire Identification

• Type of outer covering, individual wire covering,
  cable construction, number of wires
• Wire type stamped on outer surface

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Wire Types

• Type T - dry locations
• Type TW - dry or wet
• THHN - dry, high temps
• THW and THWN - wet, high temps
• XHHW - high moisture heat resistance
• UF - direct burial in soil but not concrete

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Wire Identification

• Color coded black, red, blue positive or hot
  wires which carry current to appliances
• White neutral wires carry current from
  appliance back to source
• Green or Bare ground all metal boxes and
  appliances

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Wire Identification

• Wire Size 12-2 has two strands of No. 12 wire
  (black white)
• 12-2 w/g same, with one green or bare
• 12-3 has three strands of No. 12 (black, red,
  white)
• 12-3 w/g same, with green or bare

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Wire Meaning

• 12 2 UF
• 12 Wire Size (12 gauge)
• 2 2 Insulated Wires 1 Copper Wire
• UF Insulation value (underground wet
  conditions)

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Wire Meaning

• 12 3 TW
• 12 Wire Size (12 gauge)
• 3 3 Insulated Wires
• TW Insulation value (dry or wet conditions)