2-Day Training for High School Teachers

ELECTRICAL
BASICS
Presented By
Engr. Lester G. Librado

1
WHAT IS
ELECTRICITY?
Electricity is the flow of electrical power or charge.
It is the basic part of nature that is the most
widely used form of energy (electrical energy).

Sources of Electricity:

Renewable

Non-renewable
DANGERS OF ELECTRICITY
Electric Current affects the body when it flows through.
ELECTRICAL INJURIES
(MINOR INJURIES)
PREVENTION!!!
Be OBSERVANT always
Consider all electrical wirings to be energized

Use proper tools

ON THE GO TOOLS

2X INSULATED PLIERS
MULTIMETER

ELECTRICAL TAPE PHILIPS AND FLAT HEAD SCREW DRIVERS

 Insulated Pliers

PROPER ELECTRICIAN Wire strippers

TOOLKIT Cable Cutters

Electrical Tape

Multimeter

Insulated Screw drivers (Philips and Flat head)

Hex keys

Flashlight

Claw Hammer

Voltage Tester
SKINNING OF WIRE
TOOLS

Wire stripper

Diagonal Cutter

Insulated Pliers
 Here is a list of basic electronic components:
BASIC Power Source
ELECTRONIC Resistor

COMPONENTS Capacitor

Inductor

Diode

Light Emitting Diode (LED)

Transistor

Integrated Circuits (IC)

COMMON ELECTRICAL WIRE SPLICES AND JOINTS
COMMON ELECTRICAL WIRE SPLICES AND JOINTS
HOW TO FIND A SHORT CIRCUIT WITH A MULTIMETER:
STEP BY STEP
Since fixing a short circuit issue is highly important, we will first look at the steps needed to find a short circuit with a
multimeter. You can go through the following instructions one by one to easily get rid of the same for ensuring that
your electrical circuit works properly:
 TURN ON THE MULTIMETER AND SET IT TO
1 CONTINUITY OR RESISTANCE
Now that you have made sure that everything is safe to use, turn on your multimeter and turn it to
either the continuity or resistance mode depending on what your multimeter offers. While choosing
the resistance scale, keeping it as low as possible is always recommended.
2 TEST THE FUNCTION OF THE MULTIMETER

- You will also need to test and calibrate your multimeter before using
it to ensure that it gives you all the correct measurements.
- Starting with the resistance mode, calibrating for the same is quite
easy.
- Once you set your multimeter to resistance mode, you need to touch
its probes, giving you a zero or close to zero reading.
- If the reading is much higher, you need to calibrate till the reading
becomes zero.
- Those who are using the continuity mode will see the light flashing
and the reading being zero if the probes touch and your multimeter
are calibrated correctly.
 IDENTIFY AND LOCATE THE CIRCUIT
3 COMPONENT
After your multimeter is ready and fully calibrated, you need to find and identify the parts of your electrical circuit
that you need to test for a short circuit. Although, while choosing these parts, it is highly important to ensure that
a given component has at least some resistance otherwise finding a short circuit will be difficult.

4 APPLY THE PROBE TIPS TO THE CIRCUIT

Once you have identified the desired component to be tested for a short circuit, you need to find your
multimeter’s two probes, red and black. You must touch the black probe to the ground or the chassis of the
electrical circuit and the red probe to the component you want to test. Make sure that both probes are touching
a metal part, which can be a wire, a component lead, or the circuit board foil.
5 CHECK THE DISPLAY OF THE MULTIMETER

Finally, you can check the display of your multimeter and the reading it is showing. Beginning with the
resistance mode, if you are seeing a value of 1 or OL, then there is a short circuit in your electrical circuit.
As for the continuity mode, having a reading of 0 or close to 0 will show a short circuit.
SHORT CIRCUITS CAN BE
CAUSED BY:
Vermin or pests chewing through wires

Water or other fluids coming into contact with electrical wiring

Loose connections in an electrical box

Old or damaged outlets, switches, lights, appliances, or other

electrical devices

Nails or screws piercing through walls and coming into contact

with wires

Deterioration of electrical cable sheathing

Build-up or surges of electricity

SHORT CIRCUITS PROTECTION:

Circuit breakers or fuses detect changes in electrical current flow, breaking the circuit
connection when it detects an irregularity.

Ground-fault circuit interrupters are also sensitive to changes in electrical current flow,
automatically shutting off the current's flow in case of fluctuations.

Arc-fault circuit interrupters protect against arcs or jumping electrical currents that can cause
a fire. They also shut the power off, anticipating an imminent short circuit.
WHY SHORT CIRCUITS ARE
DANGEROUS?
When the human body is introduced as the path of least resistance, the current
travels through the body.

A short circuit is harmful because it can cause injury or death through electrical
shock, electrocution, or fires.

More power is demanded during a short circuit, causing electrical arcs and
extremely high temperatures that can melt plastics or set fire to flammable
materials such as wood or fabrics.
 THANK YOU
If you are interested in anything, don’t hesitate to
contact us.

Further Info:
lester.librado@g.msuiit.edu.ph