SIMPLE DIAGRAMS FOR ELECTRICAL / ELECTRONIC

1. Standard Electrical Symbols

Electrical symbols are used to represent various electrical and electronic devices in a
schematic diagram of an electronic or electrical circuit. The electrical symbols can be changed in
their styles and colors according to users' requirements.
The following table lists represent basic electrical symbols in electrical drawing.
Table 1. Electrical Symbols
Symbol Component name Meaning
Wire Symbols

Electrical Wire Conductor of electrical current

Connected Wires Connected crossing

Not Connected Wires Wires are not connected

Switch Symbols and Relay Symbols

SPST Toggle Switch Disconnects current when open

SPDT Toggle Switch Selects between two connections

Pushbutton Switch (N.O) Momentary switch - normally open

Pushbutton Switch (N.C) Momentary switch - normally closed

DIP Switch DIP switch is used for onboard configuration

SPST Relay
Relay open / close connection by an electromagnet
SPDT Relay

Jumper Close connection by jumper insertion on pins.

Solder Bridge Solder to close connection

Ground Symbols

Used for zero potential reference and electrical shock

Earth Ground
protection.
 Chassis Ground Connected to the chassis of the circuit

Digital / Common Ground  

Resistor Symbols

Resistor (IEEE)
Resistor reduces the current flow.
Resistor (IEC)

Potentiometer (IEEE)
Adjustable resistor - has 3 terminals.
Potentiometer (IEC)

Variable Resistor /
Rheostat (IEEE)
Adjustable resistor - has 2 terminals.
Variable Resistor /
Rheostat (IEC)

Trimmer Resistor Preset resistor

Thermal resistor - change resistance when temperature

Thermistor
changes

Photoresistor / Light dependent Photo-resistor - change resistance with light intensity

resistor (LDR) change

Capacitor Symbols

Capacitor
Capacitor is used to store electric charge. It acts as short
circuit with AC and open circuit with DC.
Capacitor

Polarized Capacitor Electrolytic capacitor

Polarized Capacitor Electrolytic capacitor

Variable Capacitor Adjustable capacitance

Inductor / Coil Symbols

Inductor Coil / solenoid that generates magnetic field

Iron Core Inductor Includes iron

Variable Inductor  

Power Supply Symbols

Voltage Source Generates constant voltage

Current Source Generates constant current.

AC Voltage Source AC voltage source

Electrical voltage is generated by mechanical rotation of the

Generator
generator

Battery Cell Generates constant voltage

Battery Generates constant voltage

Generates voltage as a function of voltage or current of

Controlled Voltage Source
other circuit element.

Generates current as a function of voltage or current of

Controlled Current Source
other circuit element.

Meter Symbols

Measures voltage. Has very high resistance. Connected in

Voltmeter
parallel.

Measures electric current. Has near zero resistance.

Ammeter
Connected serially.

Ohmmeter Measures resistance

Wattmeter Measures electric power

Lamp / Light Bulb Symbols

Lamp / light bulb

Lamp
( A transducer which converts
or electrical energy to light, which
is used for a lamp providing
illumination, for example a car
headlamp or torch bulb.)
Generates light when current flows through
or Fluorescent lamp

Lamp / light bulb

Lamp / light bulb

Diode / LED Symbols

Diode allows current flow in one direction only (left to

Diode
right).

Allows current flow in one direction, but also can flow in

Zener Diode
the reverse direction when above breakdown voltage

Schottky Diode Schottky diode is a diode with low voltage drop

Varactor / Varicap Diode Variable capacitance diode

Tunnel Diode  

Light Emitting Diode (LED) LED emits light when current flows through

Photodiode Photodiode allows current flow when exposed to light

Transistor Symbols

NPN Bipolar Transistor Allows current flow when high potential at base (middle)

PNP Bipolar Transistor Allows current flow when low potential at base (middle)
 Made from 2 bipolar transistors. Has total gain of the
Darlington Transistor
product of each gain.

JFET-N Transistor N-channel field effect transistor

JFET-P Transistor P-channel field effect transistor

NMOS Transistor N-channel MOSFET transistor

PMOS Transistor P-channel MOSFET transistor

Miscellaneous Symbols

Motor Electric motor

Transformer Change AC voltage from high to low or low to high.

Electric bell Rings when activated

Buzzer Produce buzzing sound

Fuse
The fuse disconnects when current above threshold. Used to
protect circuit from high currents.
Fuse

Bus

Bus Contains several wires. Usually for data / address.

Bus

Optocoupler / Opto-isolator Optocoupler isolates connection to other board

Loudspeaker Converts electrical signal to sound waves

 Microphone Converts sound waves to electrical signal

Operational Amplifier Amplify input signal

Schmitt Trigger Operates with hysteresis to reduce noise.

Analog-to-digital converter
Converts analog signal to digital numbers
(ADC)

Digital-to-Analog converter
Converts digital numbers to analog signal
(DAC)

Crystal Oscillator Used to generate precise frequency clock signal

Antenna Symbols

Antenna / aerial
Transmits & receives radio waves
Antenna / aerial

Dipole Antenna Two wires simple antenna

Logic Gates Symbols

NOT Gate (Inverter) Outputs 1 when input is 0

AND Gate Outputs 1 when both inputs are 1.

NAND Gate Outputs 0 when both inputs are 1. (NOT + AND)

OR Gate Outputs 1 when any input is 1.

NOR Gate Outputs 0 when any input is 1. (NOT + OR)

XOR Gate Outputs 1 when inputs are different. (Exclusive OR)

D Flip-Flop Stores one bit of data

 Multiplexer / Mux 2 to 1
Connects the output to  selected input line.
Multiplexer / Mux 4 to 1

Demultiplexer / Demux 1 to 4 Connects selected output to the input line.

Others Symbols
A permanent magnet is a material or object that produces a
permanent magnet
magnetic field.

magnet core

or ferrite core

igniter plug

Or
The electric bell is found in a normal house doorbell, and
Bell
when activated it makes a ringing sound.

or An electrical buzzer is similar to the bell, but instead of a

Buzzer
single tone or bell sound it makes a constant buzz noise.

thermal element

or
thermocouple

thermopile

A speaker can take digital input and turn it into analogue

speaker sound waves. One of the most important parts of a wide
range of electrical products like TVs and telephones.
microphone
or
 Produces a repetitive electronic signal, often a sine wave or
oscilator
a square wave.
 
Semiconductor Symbols
The following images show more semiconductor symbols for breakdown diode, tube diode, tube
triode, tube triode, tube pentode and turn-off triode. All the semiconductor symbols are smart.
You can modify them with one click action button.

Additional symbols
Standard Process Flow Diagram Symbols and Their Usage
Process flow diagrams use special shapes to represent different types of equipments, valves,
instruments and piping flow.

Process Flow Diagram Symbols - Equipment

Pumps and tanks come in a variety of designs and shapes.
Compressor is a mechanical device that takes in a medium and compresses it to a smaller
volume. A mechanical or electrical drive is typically connected to a pump that is used to
compress the medium.
Pump refers to a mechanical apparatus using suction or pressure to raise or move liquids,
compress gases, or force air into inflatable objects such as tires. The symbols for pumps may
closely resemble those for compressors.
Mixing is a gear that combine some materials or put them together to form one substance or
mass.
Mixing vessel is a container that is used to blend several components together.

Heat exchanger is an equipment used to transfer heat energy between two process flows. Heat
exchangers transfer heat energy through conductive and convective heat transfer.
Cooling towers transfer heat energy to the outside air through the principle of evaporation.
Cooler is a device, container or room that cools air through the evaporation of water or keeps
cool.
Furnace means a tool for heating a continuous current of air by means of a fire contained within
the apparatus and without mingling the fresh air with the products of combustion.
Boiler is a closed vessel in which water or other fluid is heated.
Tank is used to store process fluids of various types, under different process conditions.
Process Flow Diagram Symbols - Valves
Gate valve is a device used to control the flow of liquids and gases.
Check valve, also known as one-way valve, is to prevent the line of medium back.
Globe valve refers to a mechanism used to control or stop the flow of liquid or gas through a
pipe.
Ball valve is a valve with a spherical disc, the part of the valve which controls the flow through
it.
Butterfly valve is installed between two flanges using a separate set of bolts for each flange.
Angle valve is oriented at a 90 deg angle of gate valve.
Process Flow Diagram Symbols - Piping Lines
Process flow diagrams use special piping lines to represent how signals are transmitted between
equipments. These symbols are used to identify how the instruments in the process connect to
each other. And what type of signal is being used. (electrical, pneumatic, data, etc)
All lines are fine in relation to process piping lines.
Major pipeline is for connection of the equipment in any position.
Major Straight line is sued to connect the equipment in the same horizontal or Vertical position.
Process connection help to create the process flow between equipments. Double click process
connection to edit description.
Process Flow Diagram Symbols - Instruments
Process Flow Diagram use symbols and circles to represent each instrument and how they are
inter-connected in the process.
Process and Instrumentation Drawing Symbols and Their Usage
Process and Instrumentation Diagrams use special shapes to represent different types of
equipments, valves, instruments and pipelines.

Process and Instrumentation Symbols - Equipment

Pumps and tanks come in a variety of designs and shapes. Learn the basic knowlegde about
piping and instrumentation diagram.
Pump is a mechanical device using suction or pressure to raise or move liquids, compress gases,
or force air into inflatable objects such as tires. The symbols for pumps may closely resemble
those for compressors.
Centrifugal pump is rotodynamic pump that uses a revolving impeller to add to the force and
pressure of fluids.
Gear pump provides continuous, non-pulsing flow making it ideal in chemical installations.
Sump pump is widely used to remove accumulated water from a sump pit or other location.
Vacuum pump is applied to improve the efficiency of steam heating systems in many ways. The
most important consideration is the rapid and efficient removal.
Screw pump is the Archimedes screw pump that is still used in irrigation and agricultural
applications.
Tank is for storing process fluids of various types, under different process conditions.
Onion tank refers to an open top collapsible bladder designed for use as a mobile storage
solution when recovering contaminants.
Compressor is a mechanical device that takes in a medium and compresses it to a smaller
volume. A mechanical or electrical drive is typically connected to a pump that is used to
compress the medium.
Axial compressor is widely used in gas turbines, such as jet engines, high speed ship engines
and small scale power stations.
Reciprocation compressor is typically used where high compression ratios are required per
stage without high flow rates, and the process fluid is relatively dry.
Rotary compressor is a type of gas compressor which uses a rotary type positive displacement
mechanism.
Mixing is a device that combine or put some materials together to form one substance or mass.
Mixing vessel is a container that is used to blend several components together.
Heat exchanger is a device used to transfer heat energy between two process flows. Heat
exchangers transfer heat energy through conductive and convective heat transfer.
Cooling towers transfer heat energy to the outside air through the principle of evaporation.
Cooler is a device, container or room that cools air through the evaporation of water or keeps air
cool.
Turbine driver is used to drive pumps and fans at petrochemical plants.
Furnace is a device for heating a continuous current of air by means of a fire contained within
the apparatus and without mingling the fresh air with the products of combustion.
Boiler is a closed vessel in which water or other fluid is heated.
Oil burner is engineered from the ground up exclusively to burn waste oils.
Automatic stoker is applied to supply hot water to central heating systems.
Plate tower is used extensively in many processes and industrial applications.
Packed tower is a type of packed bed used to perform separation processes.
Elevator is used to control the position of the nose of the aircraft and the angle of attack of the
wing.
Mixing reactor is widely used in the chemical industry to promote mixing.